Victory on the road

Rhyl 1

Haverfordwest County 2

A mixture of some clever and persistent attacking in the first half and some superb defending in the second gave the Bluebirds a first and well-deserved victory on the road.

They had much the better of the first half, scoring two good goals and coming closer to a third than Rhyl came to a one-and-only. As early as the 3rd minute a free kick from Kieran Howard came crashing back off the bar, with the keeper maybe just having had a finger-tip to it. It was Howard in the thick of it again in the 12th minute when he was brought down in the area for Ryan Batley to convert the penalty.

The Lilywhites tried to get back into the game but the Blues defence was solid and it was the visitors who scored next, in the 22nd minute and from a familiar route, as Dale Griffiths went up for a corner and was able to force in a ball which was bouncing around the area.

Rhyl’s attempted recovery continued and a few exchanges grew rather physical, but in the second quarter the home side produced only two shots on target, one of them deflected out for a corner and the other well saved by Scott James. Meanwhile the Blues continued to press and, after they had had a penalty appeal turned down in the 37th minute, they were close to a third goal on the stroke of half-time when Howard took another free kick quickly, caught the defence out but was just thwarted by the keeper.

Rhyl made a double substitution at half-time and might have had further cause for regret five minutes later when, after keeper McCormick had saved well from Luke Borrelli, Jamie Brewerton handled in the box and a second penalty was awarded. It’s never easy for the same player to take two in a game of course, and this time Batley’s shot hit the post.

Then came a Rhyl goal when John Owen scored from close range after Keates’ shot was blocked. Owen might have had another shortly afterwards when James made a fine save, but it was the Blues who made the next significant thrust when Howard’s shot from just inside the area drew a brilliant save from McCormick.

A cross from the busy Owen was deflected on to the bar with 10 minutes to go, but just before that the same player had gone down in the box to loud appeals for a penalty but he was given a yellow card for simulation, to howls of Lilywhite frustration.

From then on we saw a superb defensive performance from the Bluebirds. Dogged last-ditch defending is something they do very well and it was enough to frustrate Rhyl for the last 15 minutes, when the one real scare was a Donegan free kick which James could only parry and which was booted clear.

This was a splendid win.

The Bluebirds, who were due to play Port Talbot Town at home last night (Tuesday) will travel to Airbus UK on Saturday, before they play at home again on Tuesday September 29 in a Word Cup-tie against Aberystwyth.

Haverfordwest County: Scott James, Ricky Watts, Ryan Batley, Sean Pemberton, Dale Griffiths, Sam Rodon, Luke Borrelli (Jack Christopher 78'), Greg Walters, Kieran Howard, John Roberts (Declan Carroll 71'), Steffan Williams (9. Jordan Follows (62').