Sport

Hayward penalty gives Wizards win

Published

6 years ago

January 26, 2015

Thomas Sinclair

Merlins Bridge 2

Surrounded: Goal scorer McNabney is closed down by three Dragons
players

West Dragons 1

A SECOND half penalty from Luke Hayward gave Merlins Bridge a 2-1 victory over West Dragons on Saturday (Jan 10). The home side started well and they were ahead after fi ve minutes. Steve McNabney fl icked the ball on before the ball was played back to him again. His fi rst shot was blocked but he tucked the rebound into the bottom left corner of the goal. McNabney hit the bar soon after with a header from a free kick as the Wizards began to dominate with the wind behind them.

The Dragons threatened briefl y but the closest they came was when a shot was defl ected straight into the arms of the keeper. The conditions made it diffi cult for both sides and it was still 1-0 when the half time whistle went. However four minutes into the second half Jordan Thomas used the wind to his advantage as his free kick from wide on the left went straight into the net.

Twenty minutes into the half West Dragons had a great chance to take the lead when Ashley Prior broke the offside trap but his shot was saved. The ball was sent down the other end and the Wizards were awarded a penalty. Luke Hayward stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to put his side in the lead. The game became scrappy and a number of players were booked by the referee.

Prior had another great chance for the Dragons with two minutes left but his shot was defl ected wide for a corner. The resulting corner was then cleared off the line. The win keeps Merlins Bridge second, fi ve points behind leaders Hakin. Next week they are away to Tenby. Third bottom West Dragons face a crucial game against second bottom Monkton Swifts next Saturday.

Sport

Signed Wales shirts gifted to RNLI go up for auction

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2021

James Hemingray

FOLLOWING a winning start to the Six Nations Tournament, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) have scored a winning try for the RNLI, gifting six signed rugby shirts to help save lives at sea.

Each rugby shirt has been signed by the full WRU squad and are accompanied by a certificate of authentication – a winning prize for any Welsh rugby fan.

To avoid a ruck for the WRU shirts the charity has placed all six signed shirts on an online auction, ensuring a fair game for all who wish to win the golden prize. The auction will be live until Wednesday, March 31, which allows plenty of time for supporters to bid for the team in red.

Each signed shirt includes Wales Captain, Mumbles RNLI supporter and the most capped international player of all time Alun Wyn Jones; as well as Louis Rees-Zammit, the Man of the Match in the nail-biting Scotland v Wales game.

Nick Evans, RNLI Fundraising and Partnership Lead said: ‘On behalf of the charity I would like to say a big thank you to the Welsh Rugby Union for donating these fantastic prizes to the RNLI. RNLI volunteers are on call 24-7 and are often called away from important events such as family celebrations – or international rugby tournaments – to respond to the pager if someone is in trouble at sea.

‘Like all charities, 2020 was a challenging year for the RNLI when all traditional fundraising had to stop – all our shops were closed, there were no collections and all events had to be cancelled. This is why we at the RNLI are so grateful to all the team at WRU for their ongoing support. The auction is now live and we would like to encourage all Wales rugby supporters to throw the RNLI a lifeline and place their bid for the winning prize.’

To place a bid or find out more about the charity auction please visit https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/rnliwru.

Sport

Five subs to be allowed for JD Cymru Premier clubs

Published

3 days ago

February 25, 2021

James Hemingray

THE FAW’s National Leagues Board has confirmed that JD Cymru Premier clubs will be permitted to make five substitutions in matches, in accordance with the Laws of the Game, until the end of the 2020-21 top-flight season.

FIFA extended the use of the rule, which was first introduced following the COVID-19 outbreak, citing “player welfare” as part of the reason for the temporary amendment to Law 3 of the Laws of the Game.

FIFA stated that “Some competitions which resumed in 2020 may have a shorter-than-usual recovery/preparation period before the start of their next season.”

“For many competitions, the 2020/21 season will involve matches being played in a condensed period due to a delayed start and the inability to end later than usual because of major international tournaments.”

With the JD Cymru Premier set to restart on March 2, the National Leagues Board has approved the use of the rule in the JD Cymru Premier until the end of the current campaign.