Milford Mercury | Local News, Sport & Entertainment

Bluebirds keep home unbeaten record

From the Milford Mercury, first published Thursday 28th Apr 2005.

Haverfordwest Co 1 Caernarfon Town 1 Last Saturday's Bluebirds didn't look a patch on the side which played so brilliantly against TNS in mid-week, but a late Lee Waters goal kept that precious unbeaten home record intact to the end of the season.

Few players did a great deal to enhance their reputations, but after that quite superb display against the champions on Tuesday, their fans felt able to forgive this less flourishing display.

Third and fourth place in the league in successive seasons is a performance few would have hoped for three years ago.

The game was only into its 10th minute when the Canaries took a surprise lead. The home defence seemed to sleepwalk just momentarily, and Marcus Orlik found himself in space, pushed on a yard or two and clipped in a 20-yarder which caught the inside of Lee Kendall's left hand post and crept over the line.

The Bluebirds' response was sporadic. The most active player upfront was Dean Rossiter, who was tucked in just behind front men Hudgell and Palmer, with Colin Loss playing deeper.

In the course of the game `Deano' took half a dozen shots on goal, several running very close and all of them contriving to keep pressure on at the Caernarfon end.

The visitors just shaded the first half, as the Blues struggled in vain for their passing game.

Late in the half, Kendall was penalized when he picked up a back pass from Rob Jones, thinking the ball had taken a ricochet off a defender. An indirect free kick was awarded on the six yard line, but was scrambled to safety.

The Blues played a little more brightly in the second half. Rob Jones and Wyn Thomas did enough to confirm the view that they are now the best central defensive partnership in the Welsh Premier, while the first half display from Gaffer Brace suggested that the sponsors' suite, which hands out the man-of-the-match tag, could give Deryn a season ticket on the title.

The equalizer in the 77th minute was a good one. Wayne Jones' corner curled in from the left, and Rossiter's shot hammered into a defender, but rebounded to Waters, who cracked a left-footer in from a narrow angle for a fine goal.

Caernarfon clearly felt that this goal was offside, and their protests went on for fully two minutes, before a couple of yellow cards persuaded them that this was not the way to conduct themselves.

Match sponsors were Davies the Daihatsu and Isuzu specialists, of Narberth, who gave their man-of-the-match title to the Canaries' Dan March. Programme and Match Ball sponsors were Cleddau Press.

County: Kendall; Brace (Raymond, 45), Wayne Jones, Catlin (Christopher 72), Thomas, Rob Jones, Blain, Palmer, Hudgell, Loss (Waters, 45), Rossiter. Sub not used: Hughes.

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