Sport

10-man Town send Bluebirds bottom

Published

10 years ago

April 8, 2016

Welsh Premier League Playoff

Haverfordwest County 1

Carmarthen Town 2

CARMARTHEN continued their successful start to the Welsh Premier League second-phase programme by securing their fourth victory in five games after an impressive all-round team effort full of energy and commitment in this keenly-contested local derby with Haverfordwest – this, despite having to play for over an hour with just ten men.

The hosts will be disappointed to have lost the game with something of a whimper, with Town never looking in danger of loosing even when they had a numerical disadvantage.

It now looks increasingly likely that the Bluebirds will be playing their football back in Welsh League Division One next season as they sit nine points adrift of safety with four games to play, after a difficult season back in Wales’ top flight.

From the outset the Old Gold took the initiative, monopolising possession and putting sustained pressure on the home defence with a series of quick raids. And in the 7th minute they twice went close to taking the lead.

First, Kyle Bassett saw his closerange strike blocked in front of goal by a defender – then moments later Mark Jones received the ball deep inside the penalty area and he instantly sent a fine pass back to Kieran Lewis who released a crisp 20 yard drive that drew a smart full-length save from ‘keeper Alex Connell.

Yet they were soon rewarded for this adventurous approach when on 12 minutes, after a swift exchange of passes with Jones, Lewis drifted neatly past his marker and into the penalty area before coolly drilling the ball past Connell and into the net.

Such was Town’s dominance during these opening stages that it was not until the 22nd minute that County created their first notable scoring chance – Kieran Howard raced forward into the penalty area then fired an inviting cross into the goalmouth where Luke Borelli wastefully stabbed the ball over the bar.

But this was shortly followed by the incident that would change the whole nature of this contest. Lewis, having been shown the yellow card albeit rather harshly just minutes beforehand, foolishly got involved in a needless challenge and was again similarly cautioned leading to his automatic dismissal from the field – and Carmarthen were left to play the rest of the game without their most influential player.

Unsurprisingly, the hosts straightaway began to compete better and enjoy more possession and territorial advantage. But still they were unable to make any real impression on the Old Gold defence which featured the now customary central pairing of Dwaine Bailey and Dave Vincent who remained assured and disciplined under pressure – and they received excellent support on the flanks from Jordan Knott and Dan Sheehan, playing with equal conviction and reliability. As a result, Haverfordwest failed to produce a notable effort on target during the rest of the first-half.

After the interval County continued to make good use of their numerical advantage and kept pressure on the visitors’ defence, but remained unable to penetrate it. Then, remarkably, on 53 minutes the Old Gold increased their lead following a rare breakaway. Having won a free-kick wide on the left flank, Bassett sent the ball into the packed goalmouth where Vincent leapt high above surrounding defenders and skilfully directed a glancing header beyond the reach of Connell and into the roof of the net.

However, Town’s players had no time to enjoy their two-goal advantage because straight from the re-start the hosts poured upfield and the ball reached Ricky Watts near the corner of the penalty area from where he confidently drove the ball past ‘keeper Lee Idzi.

Encouraged by that success Haverfordwest continued to press forward with increasing urgency and regularity – yet on each occasion they were unable, in any meaningful way, to breach the outstanding Old Gold defence which by now was routinely augmented by industrious midfielders Ceri Morgan, Luke Cummings and Bassett.

And behind that defensive screen the experienced Idzi commanded his area in his customary assured manner and safely dealt with numerous crosses, corners and free kicks – and the hosts’ very infrequent scoring efforts.

Meanwhile tireless strikers Mark Jones and Liam Thomas, when not also otherwise engaged in defensive activities, used their pace and mobility to good effect by keeping County defenders fully occupied with occasional counter-attacks none of which, however, produced a serious goal threat.

This magnificent team effort has now ensured that Carmarthen are mathematically safe from relegation and, given their recent performances, they remain well-placed to secure the coveted UEFA play-off qualifying spot at the end of the WPL programme.

Teams:

Haverfordwest County: Alex Connell; Ricky Watts; Sean Pemberton; Dale Griffiths; Sam Rodon; Luke Borelli; Declan Carroll; Kristian Speake; Kieran Howard; Nicky Palmer; Jason Bertorelli.

Substitutes: Greg Walters; Craig Morris; Tomas Wellington; Alfie Stottor.

Carmarthen Town: Lee Idzi; Dan Sheehan; Dwaine Bailey; Dave Vincent; Jordan Knott; Luke Cummings; Kieran Lewis; Ceri Morgan; Kyle Bassett (sub Craig Hanford 90+3); Mark Jones; Liam Thomas;

Unused Substitutes: Luke Prosser; Jeff White; Glen Fearn; James Kirkwood.

Sport

Pembrokeshire cricket results and tables – Week 5

Published

1 day ago

May 24, 2026

Herald Sport

Week 5 of the Thomas Carroll Pembroke County Cricket League delivered some emphatic wins, standout individual performances and movement at the top of several divisions as clubs battled for early-season momentum.

Match	Result
Neyland v Burton	Neyland (152-7) beat Burton (151 all out) by 3 wickets
Narberth v Carew	Carew (163 all out) beat Narberth (119 all out) by 44 runs
Herbrandston v Cresselly	Cresselly (205 all out) beat Herbrandston (60 all out) by 145 runs
Whitland v Saundersfoot	Saundersfoot (265-8) beat Whitland (179 all out) by 86 runs
Lawrenny v St Ishmaels	St Ishmaels (148-9) beat Lawrenny (144 all out) by 1 wicket

Top performers:

Jon Mansbridge (Saundersfoot) – 120
Ethan Hall (Carew) – 60
Charlie Arthur (Cresselly) – 6-19
Alan Webster (Neyland) – 30 & 4-20

Division 1 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Carew	5	79
2	Saundersfoot	5	70
3	Neyland	5	65
4	Cresselly	5	51
5	St Ishmaels	5	40
6	Herbrandston	5	39
7	Burton	5	39
8	Narberth	5	34
9	Whitland	5	32
10	Lawrenny	5	23

Match	Result
Llechryd v Hook	Hook (140-9) beat Llechryd (136-7) by 1 wicket
Haverfordwest v Johnston	Johnston (114-6) beat Haverfordwest (113-8) by 4 wickets
Fishguard v Llangwm	Fishguard (158-8) beat Llangwm (157-8) by 2 wickets
Cresselly II v Pembroke	Pembroke (235-7) beat Cresselly II (130 all out) by 105 runs
Llanrhian v Pembroke Dock	Pembroke Dock (104 all out) beat Llanrhian (92 all out) by 12 runs

Top performers:

Jack Harries (Pembroke) – 102
Steve Mills (Johnston) – 59* & 4-8
Jack Jones (Llanrhian) – 66*

Division 2 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Johnston	5	78
2	Pembroke	5	71
3	Haverfordwest	5	67
4	Cresselly II	5	64
5	Hook	5	62
6	Pembroke Dock	5	52
7	Fishguard	5	42
8	Llanrhian	5	37
9	Llangwm	5	30
10	Llechryd	5	30

</details> <details> <summary>Division 3 results</summary>

Match	Result
Pembroke II v Haverfordwest II	Pembroke II (179-4) beat Haverfordwest II (178-5) by 6 wickets
Burton II v Hundleton	Burton II (121 all out) beat Hundleton (113 all out) by 8 runs
Carew II v Kilgetty	Kilgetty (178-2) beat Carew II (174-5) by 8 wickets
Lamphey v Laugharne	Laugharne (259-5) beat Lamphey (190 all out) by 69 runs
Saundersfoot II v Stackpole	Saundersfoot II (143-4) beat Stackpole (142-6) by 6 wickets

Division 3 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Kilgetty	5	78
2	Laugharne	5	66
3	Carew II	5	62
4	Lamphey	5	54
5	Saundersfoot II	5	53
6	Hundleton	5	52
7	Burton II	4	52
8	Pembroke II	5	37
9	Haverfordwest II	5	30
10	Stackpole	4	20

</details> <details> <summary>Division 4 results</summary>

Match	Result
Haverfordwest III v Herbrandston II	Herbrandston II (99 all out) beat Haverfordwest III (65 all out) by 34 runs
Hook II v Lawrenny II	Lawrenny II (148-7) beat Hook II (136-7) by 12 runs
Crymych v Llechryd II	Crymych (253-5) beat Llechryd II (131-7) by 122 runs
Carew III v Narberth II	Narberth II (77-1) beat Carew III (76 all out) by 9 wickets
St Ishmaels II v Neyland II	St Ishmaels II (166-8) beat Neyland II (139 all out) by 27 runs

Division 4 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Narberth II	5	87
2	Lawrenny II	5	74
3	Hook II	5	65
4	Crymych	5	60
5	St Ishmaels II	5	55

</details> <details> <summary>Division 5 & 6 results</summary>

Division 5

Cresselly III beat Hundleton II by 81 runs
Llangwm II beat Llanrhian II by 9 wickets
Whitland II beat Pembroke Dock II by 85 runs

Division 5 leaders:

Cresselly III – 86 pts
Whitland II – 72 pts
Llanrhian II – 67 pts

Division 6

Neyland III beat H’West/Cresselly by 9 wickets
Haverfordwest IV beat Kilgetty II by 8 wickets
Laugharne II beat Whitland III by 143 runs

Division 6 leaders:

Whitland III – 71 pts
Lamphey II – 56 pts
Neyland III – 55 pts

Sport

Three days of world-class motorsport set to return to Mid Wales this September

Published

4 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

Expanded Rali Ceredigion event to bring elite rally drivers, historic cars and millions for the local economy

THE ROAR of rally engines will return to Mid Wales this autumn as the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion makes its much-anticipated comeback from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6.

Now firmly established as one of the biggest events on the UK motorsport calendar, the rally will once again bring world-class competition to the roads of Ceredigion and Powys, with drivers competing across three major championships.

The event will host rounds of the FIA European Rally Championship, the British Rally Championship and the European Historic Rally Championship, the latter making its first appearance at the Welsh event.

Organisers say the addition of historic rally cars will add a new attraction for spectators, with iconic vehicles from previous generations expected to take part alongside today’s top competitors.

Expanded programme planned

Building on the success of previous years, the 2026 event will begin with a ceremonial start and rally showcase on Aberystwyth promenade on Thursday evening (Sept 3), before competitive stages get underway across Mid Wales throughout the weekend.

The rally has grown into a major tourism and economic boost for the region, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and putting local communities, businesses and landscapes in front of an international audience.

Figures from last year’s event showed a total economic impact of £11.6 million, including an estimated £5.59 million in direct spending, with businesses across the region reporting increased visitor numbers, overnight stays and higher spending.

Council backs return of event

The Leader of Ceredigion County Council, Cllr Bryan Davies said: “We’re proud to welcome Rali Ceredigion back to the county for 2026. The event continues to grow year on year, bringing significant benefits to our communities, local businesses and the wider economy.

“With an expanded programme and the addition of the European Historic Rally Championship, this year’s event promises to attract even more visitors to the region.

“As a council, our focus is on working closely with organisers and partners to ensure residents are well informed and that the event is delivered safely and successfully for everyone.”

Organisers are working alongside Ceredigion County Council, Powys County Council and emergency services to ensure the event is delivered safely, with details of road closures, timings and routes expected to be released in the coming months.

Historic rally cars to join line-up

Rali Ceredigion Director Charlie Jukes said organisers were excited to expand the event once again.

He said: “The addition of the European Historic Rally Championship is a fantastic development, adding even more variety and appeal for fans, with a wider range of iconic rally cars expected to take part.

“Rali Ceredigion continues to grow in scale and reputation and we’re proud to work alongside local authorities, partners and communities to deliver an event that showcases the very best of the region and generates a significant positive impact.”

Residents and businesses are being encouraged to plan ahead, with community engagement activity expected to begin before the summer.

Photo caption:

Rally return: Last year’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion attracted thousands of spectators and delivered a major boost to the local economy (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Vikings make history with cup final win

Published

4 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

HAKIN UNITED have made Pembrokeshire football history after retaining the West Wales Intermediate Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Penlan at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Ashley Bevan’s first-half goal proved decisive on Thursday evening as Scott Davies’ side became the first Pembrokeshire team to win the competition in back-to-back seasons.

It was another memorable night for the Vikings, who have now reached three finals in four years and added the cup to their league success to complete an outstanding double.

Penlan began strongly, with Kyle Hughes seeing a deflected effort drift narrowly wide before Kieran Jenkins curled a shot into the arms of Hakin goalkeeper Rory Williams.

Williams was called into action again after a defensive mistake allowed Jenkins a sight of goal, while at the other end Jack Britton was unable to generate enough power on a header inside the area.

Hakin grew into the contest, with Camron Thomas and Bevan both seeing efforts blocked following a half-cleared corner.

Williams then produced one of the key moments of the match, racing from his area to make a perfectly-timed sliding challenge as Penlan threatened to break through.

Ben Aldred went close with a rising 25-yard strike which flew over the bar, before the game became increasingly scrappy, with Britton and Jordan Kilby both booked for late challenges.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute. Shane Walsh made ground down the left and squared the ball across the area for Bevan, who slid in to finish and give Hakin a 1-0 half-time lead.

There was a brief delay after the interval while the stadium lights were switched on, before Penlan pushed for an equaliser.

Dylyn Perkins had a shot blocked by Britton, while Bevan remained a constant threat for Hakin and later fired over after Kieran King’s cross was only partly cleared.

Hakin suffered a blow when Aldred landed awkwardly after clearing a dangerous Perkins free-kick and was forced off. Craig Nicholson came on and slotted into a solid defensive line alongside Jay Power, King and the impressive Camron Thomas.

Penlan defender Jack Jenkins was booked for bringing down Bevan from behind, while Hakin substitute Liam Parks almost added a second when he latched onto a through ball over goalkeeper Luke Davies, only to lose his footing at the vital moment.

Parks later cut the ball back for Mason Dolling, whose low effort flashed just wide.

Penlan’s hopes suffered a late setback when substitute Anthony Finselbach was shown a straight red card by referee Ben Williams for a challenge on Matthew Broome.

At the final whistle, Hakin’s players and supporters celebrated a famous victory.

The Vikings have now won the West Wales Intermediate Cup five times and sit third on the all-time winners’ list, behind West End and Ragged School, who have lifted the trophy seven times each.

Penlan: Luke Davies, Jenson Lorey, Corey Young (Jaye Tebay 89), Liam Logan (captain), Jack Jenkins, Jamie James, Kyle Hughes, Navan Green (Anthony Finselbach 76), Thomas Davies, Kieran Jenkins, Dylan Perkins (Jayden Blackmore 76).

Substitutes not used: Robert Shannon, Kian Finselbach.

Hakin United: Rory Williams, Kieran King, Camron Thomas, Ben Aldred (Craig Nicholson 70), Jay Power, Jack Britton, Cameron Brunton (Mason Dolling 59), Jordan Kilby (Mark Jones 90), Ashley Bevan (Liam Parks 74), Ryan Wilson (captain), Shane Walsh (Matthew Broome 83).

Referee: Ben Williams.

Assistants: Cilan Thomas and Nick Pryor.

Fourth official: Kevin Price.