Pontypridd Town 1.

Haverfordwest County 4.

Only an outstanding goalkeeping display by Pontypridd custodian Paul Buttery prevented this game from being over at half time.

Pontypridd were facing extinction at the start of the season, and their only victory so far was in the preliminary round of Welsh Cup.

Managed by former Bluebirds’ keeper Gary Haman, they also had ex-Bluebird Samir Misbah in the team.

Haverfordwest struck first on a windy and rainy afternoon in the eighth minute. Jack Christopher rounded the keeper to slot the ball home, and then in the 17th minute, Mike Hartley scored the goal of the game.

Jack Christopher harried the unfortunate Buttery, whose clearance fell to Hartley, who fired the ball over a desperate defence into the net from 30-yards. In the 23rd minute County thought that they had gone three up, but Jack Christopher was ruled offside.

Ponty’s response to this reprieve was immediate and a minute later the deficit was down to one. Samir Misbah was not picked up on the edge of the box, and his shot skimmed off the mud in the goalmouth and past Lee Idzi.

The remainder of the first half belonged to County and Paul Buttery.

In the 27th minute Jack Christopher lobbed the keeper, but his effort was cleared by the desperate defence.

From then on the Pontypridd goalie stopped everything that came his way with a series of fine saves, most notably from Nicky Woodrow in the 34th minute and Jack Christopher in the 43rd.

With score at 2-1, Pontypridd came out in the second-half with more urgency and confidence, and put more pressure on the visitors, but never looked like they were creating any serious threat.

The defence, led by Terry Evans, the captain for the day, never gave way, with Lee Jarman showing the confidence and calmness that has been evident all season.

With the heavy pitch cutting up in the torrential rain, County still played the passing football that has helped them win their last four games, with Mike Hartley and Paul Michael in particular having fine games.

In the 66th minute, Hartley could have increased the lead when a cross from Craig Hanford was flicked on to him by Nicky Woodrow, but his effort brought out another fine save from Buttery.

Four minutes later Nicky Woodrow hit the post from a cross by Paul Michael, following a strong run down the right by the young midfielder.

In the 70th minute, Luke Bowen finally got the ball into the net from a Hartley corner with a powerful header that had the keeper stranded.

County went in search for a fourth and in the 80th minute Christopher got his second of the game from a Mike Hartley cross.

Haverfordwest County: Idzi, Evans (capt), Hanford (Bowen 70), Jarman, Gilderdale, Briers, Hartley, Blain, Woodrow (Webbe 76), Christopher, Michael.

Sub not used: Ramasut.