CWMBRAN made a fruitless 240-round trip to West Wales last night when a 2-0 defeat cost them the chance to move up to third in the League of Wales table.

By the standards they had set in winning their four previous league matches, this was a below par performance from Cwmbran who will have to improve beyond all recognition if they are to gain a positive result from Saturday's away game with Bangor City.

There are other equally difficult away tasks in December, such as Rhyl, Newtown, current leaders TNS and titleholders Barry Town, and if this display is repeated the month could well prove the undoing of Cwmbran's title hopes.

Manager Tony Willcox didn't want to say much as he trooped off the rain lashed Bridge Meadow pitch except to agree this was a "very disappointing performance and result." The outcome was a triumph for Gwent-based manager John Lewis, in charge for the first time since his recent resignation from Merthyr.

Much travelled Lewis' teams have usually held an Indian sign over Cwmbran and so it proved again last night when he gave club debuts to three vastly experienced players in former Cwmbran skipper Norman Parselle, Eston Chiverton, also ex-Cwmbran and New Inn-based Richard Jones, his assistant at Merthyr.

Jones' midfield skills often had the visitors on the back foot and it's ironic defender Dylan Blain was also outstanding because Cwmbran are today allowed to speak to the pacey 19 year old Bath University student about a possible move having put seven day's notice on him.

Cwmbran made a promising start when Nathan Cotterrall forced goalkeeper Peter Blain to make a near post save.

But after that Haverfordwest settled and though they never really tested goalkeeper Pat O'Hagan went one up soon before the interval.

The luck was with Haverfordwest when central defender Richard David deflected an Andrew Richards shot into his own goal. Smallest man on the field Richard Adams, headed home from five yards eight minutes into the second period.