By Robert Stock
January 10 2005

One of the few games to survive the weekend rain and gales was at The New Bridge Meadow, where high-flying Caersws were held to a goalless draw by Haverfordwest, a result which sees the Mid-Wales Bluebirds claim second place in the League. Ivor Williams reports... After an eventful game at the New Bridge Meadow, the Caersws Bluebirds returned from West Wales with a deserved draw, which gained them second place in the League, overhauling Rhyl on goal difference. The game was played on a bumpy pitch, not conducive to good passing football, and
was mainly confined to midfield, with very few clear-cut chances being created by either side.

The first opportunity came on 8 minutes, when County's player/manager Deryn Brace floated a free kick from the left which his central defender Phil Cattlin headed wide of the visitors' far post. Within a minute Caersws' Andy Marfell set up top scorer Graham Evans, but he sent his shot wide.

On 33 minutes the young Caersws midfielder Chris Venables crossed from the right, but it was headed away for a corner by a Haverfordwest defender. Three minutes later a shot from wide on the right by the visitors' Graham Jones was held, just below the bar, by keeper Lee Kendall.

The only worthwhile effort of the half came on 41 minutes, when Haverfordwest's man of the match Kendall brilliantly pushed Graham Evans' shot from 20 yards wide for a corner.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with little being created by either side, not helped by an over fussy referee who didn't allow much continuity of play.

Caersws' Sean Jehu had a free kick comfortably held on 47 minutes, followed five minutes later by Andy Davies' cross being palmed away by the home keeper. Then, on 54 minutes Kendall produced another excellent save to deny Graham Jones, pushing his 20-yard shot over the bar for a fruitless
corner. Kendall was called into action yet again four minutes later, saving low down from Hugh Clarke's header, which came from Sean Jehu's cross from the left.

In the last 15 minutes of the match County started to exert some pressure on the visitors defence, and Deryn Brace saw a cross from the left deflected for a corner on 74 minutes. On 78 minutes visiting keeper Andy Mulliner was forced to pull off virtually his only save of the game, pushing aside
Tim Hicks' 15 yard shot. Two minutes later, at the other end, Caersws captain Andrew Thomas flashed a shot over the County bar following a left wing corner. Finally, four minutes from the end, another effort from Deryn Brace flashed over the visitors bar, with the referee apparently being the
only person who thought Andy Mulliner got a touch on it, and ordering a corner kick.

Caersws manager Mike Evans will be reasonably pleased with the away point against a side who are undefeated at home, but with a little bit more commitment the Villagers could have come away with all three points on offer.