Sport
League cricket to make welcome return in Pembrokeshire
FOR the first time in over 600 days, league cricket will make a welcome return to Pembrokeshire cricket pitches this Saturday (May 1).
The 2020 season was wiped out because of the coronavirus pandemic but cup competitions were able to be played.
A league cricket ball has not been thrown or batted in anger since August 24, 2019, and teams will be itching to get back out on the field.
Neyland were crowned Division 1 Champions in 2019 while Burton and Llangwm were unable to escape the drop to Division 2.
The Division 2 title was claimed by Narberth while Llechryd finished second to claim the other promotion spot.
Johnston and Cresselly seconds were relegated from the second division and their places will be taken by Division 3 winners Herbrandston and runners up Lamphey.
With the pandemic curtailing the 2020 season and the uncertainty over when the teams would return to action, Saturday’s games will be a big boost for all those involved.
Champions Neyland will get their season underway with a trip to newly promoted Llechryd.
Lawrenny, Division 1 runners up in 2019, start their season at home against Whitland.
Haverfordwest will take on new boys Narberth while Cresselly face Saundersfoot and St Ishmaels host Carew.
In Division 2, Pembroke, who finished third in the division in 2019, will travel to Hook on the opening day.
Llangwm host Lamphey and Carew seconds will be at home against Kilgetty.
Herbrandston are at home as they welcome Haverfordwest seconds while Pembroke Dock face Burton.
Llanrhian finished third in Division 3 in 2019 and they will be hoping for another successful season and they start their campaign at home against Johnston.
Elsewhere, Laugharne host Llangwm seconds while Stackpole will start their season away at Neyland seconds.
In Division 4, Crymych will host Hook seconds, Saundersfoot seconds host Carew thirds in a local derby while Burton seconds host Llechryd seconds.
Saturday will also be a big day for Fishguard as they get ready for their first game back after reforming in 2020. They will take on Herbrandston Seconds at Tregroes.
Hundleton missed out on promotion by five points in their last campaign and they will be aiming for a top two finish this year. They begin at home against Pembroke Dock seconds.
Pembroke seconds will take on Haverfordwest fourths while Stackpole seconds host Neyland thirds.
And if that wasn’t enough, a set of fixtures for the May day bank holiday (May 3) have also been scheduled.
Neyland’s first home game of the season will see them take on Narberth while Cresselly will host Lawrenny in a local derby.
Carew will be up against Haverfordwest, Whitland will face Tish and Saundersfoot host Llechryd.
In Division 2, Hook will host Llangwm, Pembroke host Pembroke Dock and Herbrandston will travel to Lamphey.
A full set of fixtures can be found on the Pembroke County Cricket Club website.
With the teams having been out of league action for well over a year, Saturday’s games may take some getting used to but it will be one that all players will just be looking forward to, to get back to some kind of normality once again.
Sport
Swifts eyes on double.
Monkton Swifts reserves have blown away the second division this season and now have the double in their sights. They face Merlins Bridge reserves in the semi final of the second division cup and lived up to their favourites tag.
Swifts won comfortably with key player Butland getting three assists and Josh Sture grabbing a brace. Waterman and Rhys Sture added the other goals as outstanding Monkton won 4-0.
Herbrandston and Johnston played in the other semi final and this was a much harder fixture to call. The promoted Herbie a younger and perhaps less physical outfit in comparison to the Tigers. Johnston quickly took control of the game when they found themselves two up after just 29 minutes.
However when Scott Murray was shown a red card just eight minutes later, Herbie would have been confident of staging a comeback. Despite being a man light, Johnston held Herbie until the final minute of the 90, when Alex Ouzman gave Herbie late hope. The Tigers held firm however and progress to the final where they will be underdogs. A tag that I’m sure the players and manager Steven Allen won’t mind too much.
Sport
Tenby hit five against downbeat Bridge
On a beautiful day in Tenby, the hosts welcomed Merlins Bridge to The Clicketts, fresh from their West Wales semi final defeat midweek.
The Bridge squad was missing some influential players after picking up some injuries and the visiting team asked questions over the fitness of the pitch, which, according to the Bridge management, was too hard.
The referee waved these away and the game was on, with the Tenby squad clearly thinking they were already in the heads of the Bridge team.
Almost straight from Kick off Tenby set their stall out with some great attacking play, which Jerome Mansbridge benefitted from in just the second minute putting the home team ahead.
The bridge players weren’t at the races and Tenby capitalised scoring a further 4 first half goals, including a Mansbridge hat trick, leaving the away team bewildered and 5-0 down at half time.
What could have been a hugely embarrassing defeat for a team that harboured title hopes at the beginning of the season, turned around somewhat at half time, when Dai Davies, the club captain, almost singlehandedly dragged them to a much higher level in the second half, ensuring his players kept their discipline and worked hard against a very good Tenby team. Undoubtedly Merlin’s Bridge were the better team in the second period, but the damage had already been done in the first half, and despite Bridges best efforts, the score remained 5-0 to the home team.
In a game which saw Tenby jump to 4th in the league, they can be hugely proud of their season and will look to build on that for their next in Division one.
A fantastic game on a beautiful day with a good home crowd watching, the team from the Clicketts will be justifiably happy with their afternoons work.
Tenby 5-0 Merlins Bridge.
Sport
Preseli poses a challenge for novice crews
THE END of April will see the popular novice night rally organised by the Teifi Valley Motor Club being held in Pembrokeshire. On the weekend of 27th and 28th April, Rali Bro Preseli will see 75 novice crews tackling the winding and challenging roads that Pembrokeshire has to offer.
Clerks of the Course, father and son Richard and Jason Davies along with Aled Richards have a terrific route lined up for competitors. Starting as usual at the Crymych Mart, the route will appeal to all novice drivers and navigators.
“It will offer a bit of everything. It will be challenging but easy to follow with some whites thrown in the mix. Aled has designed the whole route and we’ve done the donkey work,” said Jason, now in his second year as Clerk of the Course.
As regular competitors, Jason and Richard wanted to give something back to the sport and they enjoy being on the organising side of the things.
Jason, who won the Bro Preseli with his father in 2013, explained: “We’ve competed in the Preseli on several occasions, and we decided to give something back to the sport and that’s why dad and I thought it would be a good idea to help.
“It’s interesting to see how it all comes together and the work involved, and there’s a lot of that,”
He also won the event with Tim Hand in 2016 and was fourth overall in 2019.
Aled Richards, Joint Clerk of the Course, knows the routes of Rali Bro Preseli like the back of his hand having only ever missed it once since its formation in 2003. He’s driven on four of them in 2005 – 2008 with the best result of a 4th place with Arwel Jenkins in the navigator seat.
Aled has been Chief Marshal on Rali Bro Preseli since 2013 before moving on to being Clerk of the Course this year and competitors can look forward to a great event.
Aled told the Herald: “This is the first time I’ve been Clerk of the Course, but we have a good team with Dylan Davies as Chief Marshal and Olwen Davies as Secretary.
“I live some 30 miles away from the actual route, but we’ve been around it twice and I’m confident it will be a good yet challenging night. Some of the whites are currently waterlogged but the farmers have been brilliant and offered to help clear the tracks before the event and we are very grateful.”
The rally, kindly sponsored by Arjay Factors and Home James Taxis, will have four official Spectator Points on the night and the locations will be available at signing on.
The Clerks of the Course and the Teifi Valley Motor Club would like to thank all those who have helped to organise the event – landowners, homes en route, petrol at Brian Llewellyn a’i Ferched, and the start and finish venues – Crymych Mart and the Teifi Waterside Hotel.
-
News5 days ago
Police issue update on the search for Luke, missing from Pembroke Dock
-
News7 hours ago
Police and air ambulances at ‘serious incident’ at West Wales school
-
Sport6 days ago
Herbrandston Clinch Promotion to Division One
-
News4 days ago
20mph U-turn: Some roads will return to 30mph following public outcry
-
Community4 days ago
Miracle pup finds her forever home after heart-wrenching journey
-
Community1 day ago
County Hall to offer space for community banking
-
Crime2 days ago
Brian Davis: Wanted on suspicion of commercial burglary
-
News7 days ago
First step towards council tax and business rate reform