Welsh League Division One:
Haverfordwest County 5
Caerau Ely 0

THIS was a very convincing performance by a Bluebirds side which dominated a first half capped by a hat-trick of crisp finishes by Dan Williams, and then, as the game was beginning to get bogged down in the mud, produced two late goals prompted by the enterprise of sub Charlie Davies, writes Robert Nisbet.

Conditions were really poor, and the entire game was played in steady rain.

They were exactly the sort of conditions in which tackles can get mis-timed and tempers frayed but, apart from one moment in the first half when the Caerau (Ely) bench were upset by a Sean Pemberton challenge, which was not in fact penalised, both sides played good, fair football, in a game calmly and well controlled by referee Ben Williams.

Both sides adapted well to the conditions, aiming to rely on the quick break forward, but the Blues did it rather better than the visitors. 

They took the lead in the 15th minute with a sharp dart down the centre and Dan Williams reacting the most quickly to stab home.

In the 23rd minute, Leon Luby made a fine run down the right and crossed for the quicksilver Williams to drive in coolly.

Ten minutes later came a similar goal, with Greg Walters this time making the run and cross and Williams with another classy finish for a cracking and deserved hat-trick.

This success was stemming from a fine all-round team effort. The solid Sam Rodon-inspired back four never really looked like being breached but behind them Conah McFenton was very secure with the little he had to do. 

The re-shuffled front four, with Luby looking dangerous out on the right, Walters in endless action and the wily Kristian Speake with clever shifts of direction, were always threatening, leaving us with the remarkable fact of a team without its two top scorers putting away five on the day.

And maybe the real powerhouse, the core of the effort, was in the fine midfield performance of Ricky Watts and the outstanding Sean Pemberton.

On the hour mark Williams had the ball in the net for a fourth time, after a through ball from Walters, but was ruled offside.

The visitors were finally seen off when two Blues substitutes produced late goals.

In the 82nd minute Charlie Davies went on a very good run down the right and into the area where he was clearly tripped, leaving Declan Carroll to hammer in an emphatic penalty. 

And right on the stroke of time, Davies curled in a wicked inswinger of a corner which dipped just below the bar.

Next Saturday, the Bluebirds are away to Goytre United and a bus will leave the club at  noon.

Haverfordwest County: Conah McFenton, Matthew Broome, Alaric Jones (Declan Carroll, 77), Sean Pemberton, Sam Rodon, Tim Hicks, Ricky Watts, Greg Walters, Kristian Speake, Dan Williams (Fraser Finlay, 83), Leon Luby (Charlie Davies, 70).
Sub not used. Nick Jones (g/k).