HAVERFORDWEST chairman Rob Edwards is hoping to appoint 'a disciplinarian' to replace Wayne Jones, who stepped down as first team manager of the club last week.

Sean Pemberton and Jazz Richards took temporary charge of the side in their goalless draw against Bala Town at the weekend, but the search is on for a permanent manager.

Speaking after the game against Bala, Mr Edwards said he was grateful to both Richards and Pemberton, who will remain in charge for the game away to Connah's Quay next weekend.

“Jazz and Sean have not let us down,” said Edwards. “We did well defensively. We looked really organised. There’s desire there and there was energy going forward when we got the ball.”

The chairman reiterated that former manager Jones leaving could have been avoided and suggested that the players had let him down.

Speaking to the Western Telegraph last week Edwards said results and performances had not been good enough as Haverfordwest sit in the relegation zone, second from bottom, level on points with Aberystwyth who they play back-to-back in a festive double-header.

“We have let Wayne down,” said Edwards. “The players are here because of Wayne, and they owe him.

“I think they got a bit comfortable with him, not showing him the respect you need to show. I don’t think it was on purpose, I just think time ran its course.

“We need a bit of a disciplinarian in the place.”

Pemberton said it had been difficult stepping into the place of his former manager, but he was pleased with the performance.

“I thought the effort and desire today is something we have been lacking the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“We just spoke to the boys in training and said we want 100 per cent effort. The result does not really matter today, we just wanted a reaction.”

Richards, who made an outstanding goal-line clearance when the net was gaping for Bala attacker Ollie Shannon in the first half, agreed that the game was about steadying the ship.

"We asked for certain instructions, important instructions and today, each to a man everyone was fantastic,” said Richards.

“We were not concerned about the result today, we were concerned about the reaction. I think we gave it our all."

Despite the focus on avoiding defeat County had their chances to win with Mason Jones-Thomas having a couple of shots well saved by Bala keeper Alex Ramsay and Touray-Sisay, on as a sub, almost through on goal in the dying minutes but for a last ditch tackle.

“We probably could have won the game,” said Jazz. “There was a penalty shout, the boys went through one v one a couple of times. Mason did well.

"The front three were brilliant for us but it was just about hard work today and the boys did that."

Richards added that no one in the squad expected Jones to walk away.

“Listen, the boys have the utmost respect for Wayne,” Richards said.

“He is a great guy and he stepped away for whatever reason, but as I said the boys have the utmost respect for him.

“Now it is up to us, to me and Pembs and the other staff to help out as much as possible until we get that interhim manager.”

It could have been so much worse for Haverfordwest in the first half had Bala's Chris Venables chosen to shoot instead of squaring it to Ollie Shannon, allowing Richards to get back and make an outstanding clearence off the line in what was the most clear cut chance of the match.

In the second half Jack Wilson rounded keeper Ramsay after being put in by Williams, but Wilson couldn’t apply the finish as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Mason Jones-Thomas came to life in the final 15’ playing a nice one two with Williams opening up space for him to drive at the Bala defensive. His low shot form 20 yards, which took a slight deflection was well saved by Ramsay diving low to his right.

Jones-Thomas best chance came minutes before the end when he wriggled himself some room in the box but his powerful shot from six yards was brilliantly kept out by Ramsay.

In injury time chaos ensued. Bala hit the cross bar with a header from a corner and the resulting clearence allowed substitute Touray-Sisay to pick up the ball with only one defender in front of him but the big Spaniard went down after being clipped from behind.

Haverfordwest next travel to Connah’s Quay, Saturday December 18, 230pm kick-off.