Dafabet Welsh Premier

Aberystwyth Town 3

Haverfordwest County 1

An even, closely-fought game saw the Bluebirds undone by some crisp Aber finishing and a failure on their own part to convert good chances.

The Bluebirds had gone down 1-0 to Carmarthen in midweek, in a game which was settled by a cracking Dan Sheehan strike in the 81st minute. On Friday, they started with Sean Pemberton as striker alongside Luke Borrelli, but were hit by an Aber goal after10 minutes when the busy Craig Williams chipped a sweetly-timed lob over Craig Morris. But within six minutes the visitors had equalised when a ball was knocked on in the box for Borrelli to place it neatly in the bottom corner.

The remainder of the first half was an end-to-end affair with headers from both sides threatening, with Geoff Kellaway’s for Aber going just wide and the Bluebirds’ knock ending safely in the arms of keeper Lewis.

The Blues had an even better chance in the 57th minute when a cross whistled across the 6-yard line with no-one on hand to turn it in. And within three minutes Aber had gone ahead when Venables converted Williams’ cross.

There was maybe a touch of fortune about the third goal, in the 71st minute, when Rhys Griffiths’ header took a defection off Pemberton for an own-goal. But although the Bluebirds fought back strongly they were once again unable to find the finishing touch and could not complain about the win for an Aber side who had taken their chances.

The week also brought the news that both Port Talbot and Cardiff Met had failed in the applications for the league’s domestic licence. The final situation is still unclear, but it could well be that the Bluebirds have been thrown a life-line. Certainly it could well be that the game with Rhyl on the Conygar Bridge Meadow on Saturday will see the sides playing for the last remaining WPL place next season.

Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Spencer Williams (Jason Bertorelli, 73), Sam Rodon, Dale Griffiths Greg Walters (Kristian Speake, 6), Nicky Palmer, Tomos Wellington, Declan Carroll (Kieran Howard, 86), Sean Pemberton, Luke Borrelli.