Principality Welsh Premier: The New Saints (TNS) 2 - Haverfordwest Co 1.

For the last ten minutes the Bluebirds were pressing very hard for an equalizer, but for the third time this season they have travelled to play a top-three side and gone down to the narrowest of defeats.

Derek Brazil made some changes and a positional switch from the side which played Cefn Druids. Gareth Elliott came on to partner Ryan Durham at the centre of defence, with Simon Gilderdale switching to right back to replace Simon Heal. Jack Christopher, fresh from his strong display against the Druids, replaced Richie Adams as striker.

TNS came out of the blocks the stronger and for much of the first half the Bluebirds were kept on the back foot. They fashioned a very good defensive performance though. One effort from TNS's Mike Wilde was disallowed for offside and the scoreline was still goalless at half-time.

The home side didn't manage to edge their noses in front until the 60th minute, and when they did there was a real element of luck to the goal. Martin Naylor's shot took a fluky deflection and looped over Lee Kendall in the Blues goal.

Then in the 63rd minute came the first sign that the Bluebirds might get back into the game when Wilde took exception to a challenge from Ryan Durham and retaliated to earn a second yellow card.

It looked for just a moment as if TNS would surmount this setback easily as they scored their second, when Kendall parried Scott Ruscoe's shot out wide and Alfie Carter squeezed into space to drive in from a narrow angle.

Then in the 80th minute the game jumped into life when Chris O'Sullivan drove in a low corner from the right and keeper Gerard Doherty could only parry the ball on to the post and then into the net.

The Blues fight-back was now well and truly on, as O'Sullivan went for goal yet again and drew a fine save from Doherty. A strong cross-shot from Lee Hudgell whistled across the face of the goal The Blues were within the merest inch or two of an equalizer, which would have been fashioned and executed by two players who were both playing in the club's MacWhirter Youth side last season. Bobby Briers, who had come on for Simon Gilderdale in the 77th minute steamed down the right and sent in a cross which evaded the onrushing Christopher by a matter of inches.

But it wasn't to be and overall TNS deserved the win, but it was a heartening Bluebirds display.

Next Saturday the Bluebirds return to the Bridge Meadow to play Airbus UK, kick-off 2.30.

County: Kendall; Gilderdale (Briers, 77), Wayne Jones, Coates, Elliott, Durham, O'Sullivan, Hicks, Christopher, Catlin (Heal, 86), Hudgell. Sub not used: Adams.