Sport

DOMINANT WIN FOR BLUEBIRDS

Published

10 years ago

January 13, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Haverfordwest County 2
Pontardawe Town 0

Opening Goal: Luke Borelli gives the Bluebirds the lead with a fine strike.

H AV E R F O R D W E S T COUNTY kicked the New Year off with a comfortable 2-0 win over Pontardawe Town. The win was The Bluebirds’ fi rst since October 11 and keeps them fourth, in touch with joint leaders Cardiff Met and Penybont. The home side dominated their second from bottom visitors for much of the game and could have gone ahead in the tenth minute but Steffan Davies saw his shot cleared off the line by Pontardawe’s captain Luke Harris. Moments later, Luke Borelli headed the ball down for Sean Pemberton but he shot wide.

Pontardawe threatened briefly and The Bluebirds were thankful to keeper Craig Morris who pulled off a good save to deny a stinging effort from Alex Wild. Owen Thomas and Nicky Palmer then exchanged passes into the area but Thomas’s effort went wide of the post. Ricky Watts was also a threat down the right hand side for The Bluebirds and he put in a number of dangerous looking crosses, one of which Luke Borelli got on the end of but his header was well saved. It was still 0-0 at half time but it did not take the home side long in the second half to make the breakthrough. Three minutes in to the half Luke Borelli broke and he ran to the edge of the box before shooting low into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Ten minutes later, The Blues were inches away from going 2-0 up as Kieron Howard’s free kick evaded everyone but the Pontardawe keeper Steve Reeve, who did well to turn the ball round the post for a corner. Declan Carroll was brought on soon after and he was immediately involved, narrowly heading over the bar from Antonio Facciuto’s cross. The visitors could not get out of their own half and frustrations got the better of them as a number of players received yellow cards. With twenty minutes to go, The Bluebirds made the points safe with a stunning goal.

Kieron Howard shot from 25 yards out and the ball flew into the top corner giving the keeper no chance. They could have added a third late on when Carroll sent Nicky Palmer through on goal but his first shot was saved and he then sent the rebound over the bar. The Bluebirds saw the game out and will be relieved to get back to winning ways. Their next game at the Bridge Meadow is on January 17 against Ton Pentre. Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Antonio Facciuto, Sam Rodon, Dale Griffiths, Sean Pemberton, Kieron Howard, Nicky Palmer, Luke Borelli, Steffan Davies, Owen Thomas. Subs: Jordan Follows, Greg Walters, Declan Carroll.

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

12 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.

Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.

Sport

Division Two goals galore as Narberth continue to dominate

Published

12 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Big wins and thrilling contests highlight the latest round of fixtures.

Narberth Crush Broad Haven
Broad Haven 1 – Narberth 11
League leaders Narberth delivered a masterclass, thrashing bottom side Broad Haven 11-1 in a one-sided encounter. Ryan Williams, Chris Brown, and Steffan Williams each netted hat-tricks, with further goals from Jordan Williams and Josh Jones. Broad Haven’s Ashley Bladen grabbed a consolation goal, but the hosts were no match for the rampant visitors, who tightened their grip on the top of the table.

Swifts Reserves Hammer Carew II
Monkton Swifts II 7 – Carew II 0
Rudy Poole’s incredible six-goal performance powered Monkton Swifts II to a commanding 7-0 victory over Carew II. Mark Jones added the final goal as the Swifts dominated from start to finish, boosting their push up the table with an emphatic statement win.

Johnston See Off Camrose
Johnston 2 – Camrose 0
Johnston earned a crucial 2-0 victory against fourth-placed Camrose in a tightly contested match. Marcus Allen’s opener and Josh Knapp’s second-half goal secured the points for the hosts. Johnston’s resolute defending ensured a clean sheet, helping them solidify their mid-table position while dealing a blow to Camrose’s hopes of catching the teams above them.

Merlins Bridge Reserves Edge Neyland in Thriller
Merlins Bridge II 3 – Neyland 2
Merlins Bridge II clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory over Neyland in a closely fought contest. Kian Lee opened the scoring for the hosts, with Bradley Barrett converting a penalty and Harrison Goddard adding a third. Neyland pushed back through Jay Johnstone and Ben Gale, but the Bridge held on to secure all three points in an exciting encounter.

Solva Outclass Lawrenny
Solva 5 – Lawrenny 0
Solva made light work of struggling Lawrenny with a 5-0 win. Kieran Price’s hat-trick stole the spotlight, with Luke Mason and Morgan Elliott also finding the net. The result leaves Lawrenny rooted near the bottom of the table, while Solva capitalized on their opponents’ weaknesses to secure a comfortable victory.

As the season progresses, Division Two continues to deliver high-scoring games and thrilling battles.

Sport

Division One drama as relegation battle intensifies

Published

12 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Two thrilling matches offer key moments in the fight for survival.

Robins Rise with Win Over Clarbeston Road
Milford United 2 – Clarbeston Road 1
Milford United climbed out of the relegation zone with a crucial 2-1 victory over Clarbeston Road at Marble Hall. The visitors struck first, with Laurie Haworth setting up Rhys Lloyd-Roberts for a close-range finish just before halftime. Milford responded quickly in the second half as Joey Jones delivered a pinpoint cross for Rhys Brown to equalize from six yards. The decisive moment came in the 68th minute when Liam Davies unleashed a stunning 25-yard strike, earning Milford a vital three points and pushing them a point clear of St Ishmaels with six games remaining.

Swifts Swoop Past Tish in Tight Encounter
St Ishmaels 1 – Monkton Swifts 2
Monkton Swifts secured an important 2-1 win at St Ishmaels, easing their own relegation worries while plunging Tish into the bottom two. Jonathan Lee opened the scoring for the Swifts nine minutes before halftime, assisted by Liam Butland. Gareth Finnegan doubled the visitors’ lead midway through the second half. Finley Armstrong pulled one back for Tish late on, following impressive work by Brennan Devonald, but the home side couldn’t find an equalizer. The result leaves Tish with an uphill battle to escape the drop.

The relegation fight promises more drama as every point becomes crucial in the final stretch of the season.