Sport
Freak goal and double penalty miss costs Bluebirds on Halloween
A FREAK goal and two late penalty misses cost the Bluebirds all three points on Friday as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Afan Lido.
Jordan Follows could have settled it for the home side but after his first penalty was saved the referee ordered a re-take for encroachment by the Afan players.
However he sent the second penalty wide to let Afan Lido off the hook.
The visitors also survived the late sending off of Callum Bowden to earn themselves a point.
Rain and wind prior to the match had not made conditions easy at the Bridge Meadow but it was Haverfordwest started the brighter of the two teams.
The closest the home side came was when Chris O’Sullivan saw his free kick fly harmlessly over in the fifth minute.
Afan Lido threatened briefly when Josh Webber cut inside but he saw his shot blocked away for a corner.
The Blues began to dominate and went close when Jordan Follows saw a shot go narrowly wide but just moments later the Bluebirds finally took the lead.
An error at the back let Luke Borelli in and he took the ball round the keeper before shooting low into the net to make it 1-0.
Declan Carroll then chipped the ball through for Follows but the striker could not take it cleanly and the chance was gone.
In keeping with Halloween night, a freak goal then got Afan Lido back in the game.
Ross Hudson spotted keeper Wyn Walters off his line and his audacious attempt from out on the right wing looped all the way in to the net to make it 1-1.
The Blues looked to regain the lead and they almost did five minutes before half time when Follows crossed for Borelli but his low drive was well saved by Lido keeper Rory McCreesh.
The Bluebirds continued to dominate in the second half and they were inches away from taking the lead but after Carroll cut inside his shot whistled just over the bar.
Captain Dale Griffiths and Sean Pemberton both saw headers saved and frustration began to set in for the home side.
Keeper Wyn Walters had to be alert at the other end as the wind almost caught him off guard but he clawed away a free kick before also being tested with another ball into the box.
Then with just over ten minutes to go the Blues were given a penalty when the tricky Carroll was brought down.
Follows stepped up but saw his penalty magnificently saved by McCreesh only for the referee to order a re-take as he had spotted Afan Lido players encroaching into the area.
Callum Bowden was the player penalised by the referee and was shown a yellow card.
However, Follows sent his second spot kick wide of the left post and Afan Lido breathed a sigh of relief.
Bowden then received his second yellow eight minutes from time for a late tackle but he was dismayed at the decision as he was convinced the ball had gone out earlier in the move.
The Blues pushed on but they could not find a winner meaning they would have to settle for a point.
Manager Wayne Jones was disappointed with the result saying: “Everyone here tonight could see we had enough chances to win the game. All credit to them (Afan Lido), I thought they sat back deep and they made it hard for us to break them down.
“At the end of they day it is still another point, we’ve got to be positive, we had plenty of chances, two spot kicks, you’ve got to put them away, but their keeper’s pulled off three really good saves.
“It just wasn’t to be tonight, Halloween hit us hard”.
The Blues will look to get back to winning ways when they take on Ryhader Town in the Welsh League Cup next Saturday.
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.
Sport
Herbrandston Clinch Promotion to Division One
Following a one all draw Tuesday night away to Narberth it confirmed Herbrandston’s promotion to the first division. An amazing achievement for Manger Leigh Galdo and his assistant Timmy Roberts. With a young team and after losing quality players over the summer it’s safe to say promotion wasn’t really ‘on the cards’ for Herbie in August.
On paper nobody would have expected Herbie to challenge at the top of the league. However they started the league as they meant to go on, with an outstanding unbeaten run, which made everyone quickly realise they were not to be underestimated. Galdo has done an excellent job in developing not only a young team, but the players as individuals who’ve matured as the season has developed. While they will enjoy promotion they won’t be relaxing too much as they still hope to lift the second division cup at Bridge Meadow.
Herbie’s boss however found some time in his busy schedule to reflect on promotion and the season to date.
‘Promotion wasn’t really on the radar when we sat down last summer and assessed the situation. With a mass exodus of first team starters, a full rebuild looked on the cards.
However the players we have in this years group are nothing if not resilient. A great start to the campaign meant we had put ourselves in contention early, 13 league games undefeated up to Xmas proved that we had enough to at least contend. There were certainly some tough test in the new year but all of them learning opportunities and a chance for this group of players to grow and mature as a team.
I’m a firm believer that through adversity, that’s where the real development can happen and it certainly seems that way with us at the moment with many of our young players now looking battle tested.
Humbled and armed with those lessons we’re looking now to finish the season strong. Back into the 1st Division has been the club’s ambition now for quite a few years and after finally achieving that after many close seasons in doing so we can turn our focus to trying to add some silverware in the 2nd Division cup.
A very tough task with the quality of teams left in the competition. But a challenge we embrace and look forward too. We’ll stay in the fight to the very end and see what destiny awaits us. ‘Up the Pickles’’
Congratulations to everyone involved in the club on promotion. A club that’s setup off the field and at junior level really deserves division one football. We also wish Herbie the best of luck for the cup too.
News
Micky Beckett, Pembrokeshire’s Olympic hopeful, wins big in Palma!
Micky Beckett, the pride of Solva and a stalwart of the British Sailing Team, once again etched his name in the annals of sailing history with a resounding victory at the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma last week, marking his third consecutive triumph at this illustrious event. The 29-year-old maestro showcased his dominance in the men’s dinghy class amidst stiff competition from a formidable fleet of 193 boats, clinching the title with a day to spare.
His gold-medal feat spearheaded a triumphant campaign for the British contingent, as John Gimson and Anna Burnet secured bronze in the Nacra 17 category, while the rising star Matilda Nicholls clinched her debut senior-level medal, a bronze in the ILCA 6 class.
Entering the pivotal double points medal race, Beckett held an unassailable lead atop the leaderboard, a testament to his unparalleled skill and unwavering determination. Despite the comfort of his position, Beckett refused to relent, clinching a second-place finish in the decisive race and ultimately sealing victory with an imposing 44-point margin.
Reflecting on his remarkable achievement, Beckett humbly acknowledged the significance of his third consecutive triumph, stating, “I’ve been trying all week not to think about the fact that if I won this event it would be three in a row, but now it’s real and it’s pretty cool.” His sentiments echoed a blend of confidence and humility, underscoring the arduous journey that led to his triumph.
With his sights set on the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, Beckett exuded a mixture of confidence and determination, aware of the challenges that lie ahead. “All the top guys will be following their own plans to build up to this summer, but I have to say that beating them is a nice confidence boost,” Beckett remarked, encapsulating the competitive spirit that drives him towards excellence.
Despite his past setbacks in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Beckett remains undaunted, poised to make his mark on the global stage in Marseille, where he aims to transcend mere participation and carve his legacy amongst the world’s elite ILCA 7 sailors. With a European title in 2021 and a world silver in 2023 adorning his resume, Beckett’s journey is a testament to perseverance and unwavering dedication to his craft.
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