Haverfordwest County 1
Airbus UK 1

With Airbus currently in tenth place this was a six-point game, so the Blues might be relieved to have survived heavy second half pressure to garner what might yet prove a very valuable point.

Much of the early attention was on the four recent signings who started the game, along with the returning Gareth Elliott.

The feeling in the Blues’ camp was that the new mix might take time to gel, so the home side’s first half performance was quite pleasing. The real bonus was the performance of the mercurial Tom Ramasut who won the Jehu (west) man of the match award by several furlongs, with a display of craft and control that the Blues’ midfield has badly needed. Up front, the big Tom Billing had a very good first half, holding the ball up well and taking a lot of shepherding from the Airbus defence.

It was Billing in fact, who prompted the Blues’ two most dangerous attacks of the first half hour.

He linked with Jamie Grimes to set up a chance for Jamie Bradford whose low shot was clutched by keeper Rogers.

Then Billing and Ramasut combined to create a chance that Jack Christopher, not quite back yet to his best form and fitness, couldn’t quite reach.

Airbus had meanwhile had a rather scrappy goal disallowed in the third minute and continued to attack ominously at times, with Carl Owen looking strong. Mark Dodds featured in a good Blues’ defence though and there was no score as we reached the 45-minute mark.

Then, in first half injury time, Ramasut went on a mazy diagonal run across the penalty area and was wildly tripped.

Christopher thumped away his second penalty in three games with every confidence.

The game moved rapidly into another dimension at the start of the second half when Airbus came out in full attacking mode and, within five minutes, Marc Lloyd Williams, so often the bane of the Bluebirds’ life, pounced for a good equaliser. Airbus dominated the possession and territory for much of the second half, but, not for the first time this season, the Bluebirds’ defence, with Terry Evans as cool as ever, Dodds a polished centre half and Grimes and Elliott digging in hard, succeeded in keeping the visitors at bay. Jack Abraham’s 68th minute shot cannoned out off the bar but otherwise Lee Idzi was more employed with gathering crosses (which he did extremely well) than shots.

After Steffan Williams had come on as sub for newcomer Josh Hartrick, the Blues pepped up a little, and Williams and Bradford were involved in a last-minute move which nearly put Billing in.

This Saturday, the Blues travel to play Welshpool in a re-arranged fixture.

Haverfordwest County: Lee Idzi, Terry Evans, Jamie Grimes, Mark Dodds, Gareth Elliott (Ross Jones 69’), Kyle Graves, Josh Hartrick (Steffan Williams 61’), Tom Ramasut, Tom Billing, Jack Christopher (Nicky Woodrow 85’), Jamie Bradford.

Subs not used: Kristian Griffiths, Ricky Watts.