Port Talbot Town 1
Haverfordwest County 0

As Jack Christopher pulled out of the squad on Friday morning with flu, Derek Brazil chose to start the game on Friday night with a 4-5-1 formation and Tom Billing as the lone striker.

The five man midfield, with Hudgell starting for the first time this season and Williams on the flanks, had its work cut out in the first-half.

The Port Talbot side that has played so well this season pressured the County goal from the outset.

The pressure worked, and Lee Idzi was called on to make fine saves from the lively Port Talbot team. On the one occasion he was beaten, though, Kyle Graves was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Tom Ramasut worked hard in midfield but on the infrequent County attacks he was unable to stamp his authority on the game, due to the tenacity of the Talbot midfield. Ex-Bluebird Neil Thomas was particularly strong.

Towards the end of the first half, though, he was able to get loose and sent a stinging left foot drive goalwards, which another former Bluebird, Lee Kendall, did well to parry.

It was always going to be a tall order for the youthful Bluebirds to get a win against Mark Jones’ side which has improved as the season has gone on.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with the Steelmen pressing hard, with Thomas becoming more influential in the midfield. Both he and de Vulgt had shots that went wide of the post, before Martin Rose headed the only goal of the game from a free kick. Derek Brazil made some changes, with Josh Hartrick and Ross Jones coming on for Kristian Griffiths and Jamie Bradford, and Steffan Williams joining Billing up front.

County gradually came back into the game and soon began to create chance, but were unable to get any result from them. With ten minutes to go, Nicky Woodrow replaced Billing, and his pace managed to cause some concern in the home defence.

County nearly snuck a draw when Kendall was penalised for not releasing the ball within the allowed six seconds, but Ramasut’s powerful strike from the resultant free-kick ricocheted off the face of a defender.

With games against Connah’s Quay and Newtown coming up at the Bridge Meadow, County are entering a crucial few weeks of the season.

This week’s game is on Sunday against Connah’s Quay, with a 2.30pm kick-off.

Haverfordwest County: Idzi, Evans, Dodds, Graves, Elliott, Griffiths (Hartrick 69’), Bradford (Jones 69’), Ramasut, Hudgell, Billing (Woodrow 80’) Williams, Sub not used: O’Sullivan.