Sport

Blues close out feisty game

Published

10 years ago

February 23, 2015

Haverfordwest 22
Tycroes 17

HAVERFORDWEST made a welcome to return to winning ways, even though they were plagued with injuries and unavailability,

Scrum time: Haverfordwest scrum half Dan Morgan looks to put the ball in at a Blues scrum.

with the Blues coaching staff calling up Rhys Price and Hywel Davies from St Davids RFC, the latter playing an impressive eighty minutes at prop.

Under bright sunshine and a gentle breeze, Merlins Bridge was offered some entertaining, and at times feisty rugby between two sides who haven’t had the best of seasons.

The Blues made the brighter start, as a loose line out from the visitors allowed Moritz Neumann to kick ahead the ball, and outpace the covering defence to touch down within the first five minutes of play. Neumann, traditionally a centre, was playing for the third week at blindside flanker, but has taken to the position like a duck to water. Fly half Steve Williams missed the conversion.

Tycroes replied quickly after, as their scrum looked the more dominant and a nice break from the visitors full back cut the Blues defence in two, before he passed to winger Scott Bowen to score just wide of the posts. The conversion was missed by outside centre Carwyn Richards.

The Blues took the lead again, as open side flanker Dewi Williams won the foot race to a kick ahead, sliding on the loose ball, for another unconverted try.

The visitors then again fought back, as they clawed their way up the pitch towards the home sides try line, before a series of penalties at the scrum resulted in a penalty try for the visitors, which was converted by Richards.

With the score at 10-12 to the visitors and the half time break approaching, memories of the Blues losses in the last two fixtures came to the forefront. This spurred on the home side, and a turn over provided quick ball for Haverfordwest, and slick handling provided winger Scott Candler open space, and the winger raced away to score under the posts, with Steve Williams adding the extras. The score now 17-12 at the half time whistle.

After the break, the game started at a frantic pace as both sides threw caution to the wind in attack, and gave everything in defence.

Haverfordwest’s Zac France- Miller was yellow carded however, as the hooker was deemed to have had his hands in at the ruck.

An attacking line out for Tycroes provided the next points of the game, as skipper Dylan Cooper was helped over the try line in a driving maul to touch down. The conversion kick by Carwyn Richards struck the upright.

There then proceeded to be a nasty scuffle, which resulted in both Haverfordwest skipper Darren Salmon and Tycroes’ Steffan Davies being red carded.

This scuffle didn’t clear the air, as within a few short minutes Tycroes were down to 12 men as Aled Griffiths and Tim Rees were both yellow carded for infringements at the break down.

This allowed Haverfordwest, who were back to 14 players as France-Miller returned to the pitch, to capitalise, and it was the continuous pressure which resulted in Scott Candler scoring his second, as he received a lovely delayed pass from Steve Williams, as he arched his run around the trailing defence. The kick went wide, but it was enough to give Haverfordwest the win, along with a much needed bonus point in their fight for survival.

Haverfordwest sit in tenth position and face Penlan away on February 21.

Sport

Seasiders dominate in 5-2 win over Swifts

Published

1 day ago

November 11, 2024

Herald Sport

TENBY earned a commanding 5-2 victory against visitors Monkton Swifts at The Clicketts on Saturday (Nov 9). Jerome Williams opened the scoring just ten minutes in, following a well-placed setup from veteran Joe Leahy. Skipper Dan Evans doubled the lead nine minutes later with a stunning 35-yard drive, expertly placing a right-footed shot beyond Monkton’s keeper, Taylor Gullam, who was frequently called into action during a shaky defensive showing by the Swifts.

Williams struck again to put Tenby 3-0 up midway through the first half, but both he and fellow forward Scott Fearney found themselves in the sin bin for ten minutes shortly after. Despite being down to nine men, Tenby maintained control, adjusting their tactics to retain possession. Leahy then scored a spectacular fourth goal, launching a 50-yard chip from just inside the Swifts’ half over the head of a retreating Gullam after receiving a clearance from man of the match Curtis Hurlow.

Monkton struggled to find their rhythm, though central midfielder Gareth Finnegan led a determined push that eventually paid off with a goal eight minutes before halftime. However, Swifts’ efforts were marred by a booking for winger Josh Clarke just before the break for a late challenge.

Fearney added Tenby’s fifth goal ten minutes into the second half, effectively sealing the win. Monkton’s Ryan Hughes managed to pull one back from a scrambled corner with 15 minutes left, bringing the score to 5-2. Both managers, Gareth Noot (Tenby) and Stuart James (Monkton), rotated their squads with substitutions in the closing stages.

Tenby’s centre-half Charlie Gregory was cautioned for a late tackle, and Swifts’ skipper Ben Steele saw time in the sin bin in the final minute. Third-placed Tenby now look forward to hosting Kilgetty next weekend, while the Swifts prepare to welcome title-chasers Hakin United to Monkton Lane.

Sport

Latest Pembrokeshire Second Division football reports

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2024

Herald Sport

THE latest round of Pembrokeshire Second Division fixtures delivered a series of high-scoring, action-packed matches, with several players seizing the spotlight through remarkable individual performances. Here’s a rundown of the results.

Merlins Bridge II 3-3 Monkton Swifts II

In a hard-fought clash, Merlins Bridge II and Monkton Swifts II ended level at 3-3 in a game that saw both sides push relentlessly for the win. Monkton’s Dyllan Bowen was in formidable form, netting all three of his team’s goals to complete a hat-trick and keep his side in contention. Merlins Bridge II responded with goals from Daniel Pearce, Jack Ashman, and Tom Mezzetta, sharing the scoring duties and ensuring they came away with a well-earned point. Both teams showed resilience and attacking flair, setting a high bar for the rest of the league.

Solva 3-6 Narberth

In another goal-heavy encounter, Narberth came out on top against Solva, winning 6-3. Steffan Williams led the charge for Narberth, recording a brilliant hat-trick to dominate Solva’s defense. His teammate Jordan Williams was close behind, adding a brace to extend Narberth’s lead, while Lewis Bansal contributed with a goal of his own. Solva managed three goals courtesy of Monti Lavin, Josh Bland, and Danny Thomas, but despite their efforts, they struggled to contain Narberth’s relentless attacking unit.

Lawrenny 2-11 Camrose

Camrose produced a clinical display against Lawrenny, storming to an overwhelming 11-2 victory. Jordan Raymond was the standout player, scoring four times and dismantling the Lawrenny defense almost single-handedly. Scott Chalmers added three more, securing his own hat-trick, while Martyn Tweedie contributed with a brace. Joe Haworth also got on the scoresheet, and an own goal added to Lawrenny’s woes. Sam Davies and Owen James managed to score for Lawrenny, but their efforts were only a small consolation in a lopsided match.

Broad Haven 0-7 Hakin United II

Hakin United II showed their class with a dominant 7-0 victory over Broad Haven. Evan Rutherford led the scoring with a hat-trick, tormenting Broad Haven’s defense throughout the match. Corey Riley added two goals, while Tyler Williams and Tom Edmonds each found the net once to cap off a comprehensive team performance. Broad Haven couldn’t find an answer to Hakin’s well-organized attack, leaving them looking for answers after a tough outing.

Sport

This weekend’s Division 4 West rugby roundup

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE latest fixtures in Division 4 West delivered intense clashes, narrow escapes, and exhilarating victories as teams showcased their determination and skill. Here’s a breakdown of the matches and standout moments.

Dreigiau Emlyn 7-10 St Davids

St Davids claimed a narrow 10-7 win over Dreigiau Emlyn in a hard-fought match. Celt Davies put Dreigiau Emlyn on the scoreboard with a try, converted by Llew Morgan. St Davids responded with tries from Ethan Griffiths and Dan Murphy, with Bob Froy converting one. Despite Dreigiau Emlyn’s strong defensive stand, St Davids held on for a slim victory.

Llangwm 23-21 Pembroke Dock

In a thrilling contest, Llangwm edged out Pembroke Dock by just two points, finishing 23-21. George James led Llangwm’s scoring with a try, two conversions, and three penalties. Gethin Thomas added a try, pushing Llangwm into a narrow lead. Pembroke Dock fought back with tries from Harry Owen, Danny Wilkes, and Morgan Rogers, all converted by Ben Hathaway. However, Llangwm’s precise penalty kicks clinched the close contest.

Llanybydder 24-31 Pembroke

Pembroke emerged victorious in a high-scoring 31-24 match against Llanybydder. Llanybydder displayed resilience with tries from Arwel Williams, Matthew Rollings, Ifan Mason-Evans, and Griff Morgans, two of which were converted by Rollings. Pembroke’s offense proved too strong, with tries from Robin Badham, Jack Oliver, Fraser James, Dai Rogers, and Toby Edwards, alongside three conversions by Josh Greenwood. Pembroke’s offensive depth secured the win in this lively encounter.

Neyland 20-23 Narberth Athletic

Narberth Athletic pulled off a close 23-20 victory over Neyland, with Shane Rossiter at the heart of the action, scoring all of Narberth’s points through three tries, two penalties, and a conversion. Neyland responded admirably, with tries from Luke Griffiths-Dawes (2) and Josh Watts, while Oli Rothero added a conversion and a penalty. Rossiter’s consistent performance under pressure proved decisive, securing Narberth Athletic’s hard-earned win.