Haverfordwest County recorded a comfortable 6-1 victory over basement side Cefn Druids at the Ogi Bridge Meadow on Saturday to extend their winning run to three matches.
Despite the terrible weather conditions in Pembrokeshire, the Bluebirds played some exhilarating football, particularly in the second-half, to continue their impressive recent run of form.
Here are five key takeaways from the game:
Bluebirds finally find their clinical touch
Prior to Saturday’s game, County had failed to score more than two goals in a league match this season. While they had managed a 6-0 victory over Brecon Corries in the Welsh Cup and a 5-0 win against Undy Athletic in the Nathaniel MG Cup, the Bluebirds were yet to really hit form in front of goal – until the floodgates opened on Saturday.
Despite a goalless first-half which saw the hosts create numerous opportunities to take the lead, they eventually found that ruthless streak that had been coming for a long time, as they clicked to devastating effect after the interval, and could well have scored even more goals on another day.
Prior to Saturday, County had kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league, so manager Nicky Hayen will have been pleased to see his team find their groove at the other end of the pitch, as an intriguing conclusion to the season lies ahead.
Willy only scores worldies
While Jack Wilson may have hoped to have found the net more than the four times he has in the league to date, it’s fair to say that when he does find the net it’s always worth watching.
His goal in the first meeting between the sides back in October was a result of sharp thinking and quick feet, as he evaded a Druids defender and goalkeeper Ryan Neild to poke the ball in and secure a dramatic comeback win in the first minute of stoppage time.
He had to wait four months for his next goal in the league, but it was certainly worth the wait as he scored a goal of the season contender with an outrageous half volley from 25 yards which found the top right corner of the net in the game against Druids at The Rock.
Clearly someone who likes scoring against the Ancients, it was no surprise when he found the net against the north Walians on Saturday, however no one could have predicted the nature of the goal. After Ben Fawcett’s ball into the area was cleared high into the air by defender Phil Mooney, Wilson advanced into the box and showed excellent technique and positioning to strike on the half volley and find the right corner of the net.
It’s fair to say the wing-back will be looking to add to his tally against the Druids when the two teams lock horns for the fourth and final time this season in April.
Fast starters after the break
County will have been disappointed to go into the interval without a goal to their name after crafting numerous chances to open the scoring, however they showed real focus and purpose from the restart and were rewarded when Fawcett found the net just a minute into the second-half.
This is becoming something of a trend for the Bluebirds, with the exact same scenario happening in the 1-0 win against Barry Town United the week before, when Alhagi Touray Sisay scored in the 46th minute to give County the perfect start to the second period.
Fawcett’s goal on Saturday gave Hayen’s side the confidence they needed to go on and find the net five more times in what turned out to be a rout at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.
Fawcey returns to the side with a bang
With the arrival of Jordan Davies on loan from Connah’s Quay Nomads in January, striker Fawcett had found himself on the bench in the two games prior to Saturday’s win.
A player who is always capable of scoring, Fawcett will no doubt have been frustrated by not starting matches, but to his credit his commitment and work rate has never dropped, and on Saturday he showed all of his class to turn in a man-of-the-match display.
Netting a brace and providing an assist for Touray Sisay’s goal, he was the stand out player for Hayen’s side, as he got back on the goal trail for the first time since his excellent finish away at Cardiff Metropolitan at the start of October.
It goes without saying that he will be hoping to play a starring role in the final eight games of the season, as the Bluebirds look to finish the season strongly.
Weather fails to rain on County’s parade
Those who were in attendance on Saturday will attest to the awful conditions that came in for the second-half. The constant, heavy rain which continued all afternoon could have knocked the Bluebirds out of their stride, particularly with the attractive brand of football the team look to play.
However, the pitch held up remarkably well, and County were still able to express themselves as they ran riot after the break, ironically improving their performance as the weather got worse.
This may not come as a surprise, with many of our home games this season being played in less than favourable conditions, but it is still a credit to the team for sticking to their task and having the ambition to continue playing their way.
