Sport
Sevens season kicks off


Plate Winners: Young Gulls (pic: Gareth John)
AS the rugby season came to a close, it was time for the speedsters to dust off their boots as the rugby sevens season kicked off at the 30th annual Newport 7s on Sunday, May 24.
With 6 teams entered, the sides were split into two groups of 3, with Group A including Daionic Crusaders, Cardigan Exiles and hosts Newport and Group B included defending champions Carmarthen Warriors, Fishguard RFC’s Young Gulls and Preseli Ba Ba’s.
The tournament kicked off in very wet weather and it was the Daionic Crusaders who topped Group A winning 5 out of 5 group games. The Preseli Ba Ba’s topped group B, after winning 4 out of 5 games, losing once to the Young Gulls but going through as the top placed side on try count.
The next round saw the Daionic Crusaders beat the Carmarthen Warriors, the Preseli Ba Ba’s beat Newport and the Young Gulls beat Cardigan Exlies.
This, after some complicated mathematics meant the Daionic Crusaders would meet the Preseli Ba Ba’s in the Cup final and the Young Gulls would face off against the Cardigan Exlies in the Plate final.
The Plate final was the curtain raiser to the Cup final, and the Young Gulls stormed off into an early lead and ever looked like losing, winning the Plate by five tries to Cardigan Exiles’ one. The Young Gulls walked away with £150 for winning the Plate.
The Cup final had £500 prize money on offer, and it was the Ba Ba’s who made the stronger start under the sunshine which had broken through the clouds. The Crusaders were not dampened though, and fought their way back as the final result was 4 – all, resulting in sudden death.
To complete their fantastic comeback, the Daionic Crusaders scored the first points during sudden death, meaning they lifted the cup and walked away with £500.
Crusaders’ player Dafydd Williams received £100 for being named player of the tournament, and all sides went on to celebrate a successful day of running rugby.
Group A:
Daionic Crusaders 5-1 Cardigan Exiles
Newport 0-4 Daionic Crusaders
Cardigan 7-1 Newport
Daionic Crusaders 4-2 Cardigan Exiles
Newport 0-10 Daionic Crusaders
Cardigan Exiles 6-1 Newport
Group B:
Carmarthen Warriors 1-3 Preseli Ba Ba’s
Carmarthen Warriors 1-2 Young Gulls
Preseli Ba Ba’s 2-3 Young Gulls
Carmarthen Warriors 1-6 Preseli Ba Ba’s
Carmarthen Warriors 3-6 Young Gulls
Preseli Ba Ba’s 3-1 Young Gulls
‘Bonus’ group games:
Daionic Crusaders 7-3 Carmarthen Warriors
Preseli Ba Ba’s 9-0 Newport
Cardigan Exiles 2-5 Young Gulls
Plate final:
Young Gulls 5-1 Cardigan Exiles
Cup final:
Daionic Crusaders 5-4 Preseli Ba Ba’
Sport
St Clears and Letterston shine as Neyland struggles in Division 3

THE PEMBROKESHIRE Third Division delivered another thrilling weekend of football, with key results shaping the league standings.
Clarbeston Road II capitalises on Neyland errors
Clarbeston Road II secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Neyland Reserves, with Robert Reed-Griffiths and Henry Lucas both getting on the scoresheet. Neyland’s woes were compounded by two own goals, further adding to their struggles. Mason Morgans-Hurley netted Neyland’s only goal, but it was not enough to prevent yet another defeat.
Pendine and Kilgetty II battle to a draw
Pendine and Kilgetty II played out a 2-2 draw in a hard-fought contest. Carl Gwyther and Andrew Evans (penalty) found the net for Kilgetty, while Julian Blewitt and Kyran Lewis (penalty) ensured Pendine earned a share of the points. The result keeps Pendine in the promotion race, while Kilgetty II continues their push to climb the table.
St Clears see off Haverfordwest Cricket Club
A hat-trick from Nick Squire powered St Clears to a 4-2 away victory over Haverfordwest Cricket Club. Scott Page also found the net for the visitors. Despite Liam Sheehan scoring twice for the hosts, they were unable to contain St Clears, who now edge closer to the top four.
Letterston cruise past St Florence United
Letterston produced a dominant display, claiming a 4-0 win over St Florence United. Simon Jones bagged a brace, while Gareth Mathias and Gary Delaney added to the tally. The victory cements Letterston’s place in the top half of the table.
New Hedges Saundersfoot United march on
New Hedges Saundersfoot United continued their strong form with a 4-1 triumph over Pembroke Borough. Adam Davidson and Harvey Drummond both struck twice to secure a convincing win. Sonny Price managed to pull one back for Pembroke Borough, but they were no match for the high-flying contenders.
League standings update
Goodwick United Reserves remain at the summit with 51 points, while New Hedges Saundersfoot United continue their charge in second place with 38 points, holding games in hand. Pendine and Pembroke Borough remain tightly matched on 35 points, while St Clears’ latest victory sees them move to 30 points in the top five. At the bottom, Neyland Reserves remain rooted with just six points, unable to turn their season around.
As the season enters its final stretch, every point is crucial in the race for promotion and survival in Pembrokeshire Division 3.
Sport
Narberth dominate as Neyland hit fifteen in Manderwood Division 2 thrillers

THE LATEST round of fixtures in Pembrokeshire’s Manderwood Division 2 on Saturday (Feb 8) produced a flurry of goals, with Narberth and Neyland delivering emphatic victories.
Narberth thrash Solva in goal fest
Narberth strengthened their title charge with a commanding 8-2 win over Solva. Stefan Williams was the standout performer, netting four times, while Jordan Williams added a brace. Aidan Howitt and Brychan David also got on the scoresheet. Solva responded with a penalty from Josh Bland and a late consolation goal, but they were no match for the league leaders.
Neyland’s ruthless fifteen-goal display
Neyland produced the most dominant performance of the day, dismantling Monkton Swifts II with a staggering 15-0 victory. Alfie Crawford, Corey Richards (hat-trick), Richard Mills (four goals), Max Bowman-Davies (two goals), Henry McBeth (three goals), and Ben Gale (two goals) all found the net in a relentless attacking display. The result cements Neyland’s position in the top half of the table.
Johnston secure win over Merlins Bridge II
Johnston continued their solid form with a 3-1 victory over Merlins Bridge II. Ryan Doyle led the charge with a brace, while Josh Knapp also found the net. Bradley Barrett pulled one back for Merlins Bridge, but Johnston held firm to claim all three points.
Carew II cruise past Lawrenny
Carew II enjoyed an impressive 4-1 away win at Lawrenny, with Connor Hay scoring twice. Charlie Perkins and Gareth Brown also got on the scoresheet. Owen James netted Lawrenny’s only goal, but the hosts struggled to contain Carew’s attacking threat.
Fishguard Sports hit Broad Haven for six
Fishguard Sports continued their strong run with a comprehensive 6-0 win over Broad Haven. Anthony Couzens and Adam Lawrence both bagged braces, while Luke Thomas and Ieuan Llewellyn also scored in a dominant display.
League standings update
Following these results, Narberth remain top of the table with 15 wins from 18 matches. Hakin United Reserves and Fishguard Sports remain in pursuit, while Broad Haven are still searching for their first win of the season.
Sport
Goodwick dominate Hakin to tighten grip on title race

Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League – Division 1
Goodwick United 4-1 Hakin United
GOODWICK United took a significant step toward retaining their league title with a dominant 4-1 victory over fierce rivals Hakin United. The result, captured by Sgorio TV cameras, extends Goodwick’s lead at the top to four points, putting them in pole position to lift the trophy once again.
With both teams unbeaten heading into this crucial clash, something had to give. Goodwick asserted their authority early, racing into a 3-1 lead by half-time before sealing the win with a fourth goal in the second half. Now, with just five league games remaining, Hakin’s hopes of mounting a late challenge rely on Goodwick slipping up twice while they win all their remaining fixtures.
Fast start sets the tone
Goodwick wasted no time in making their mark, breaking the deadlock within two minutes. A long throw-in found Rhys Dalling, who set up Will Haworth to fire home a well-struck effort from 18 yards.
Dalling, a constant threat throughout, turned provider again in the 18th minute. Cutting inside, he unselfishly squared the ball to Rhys Jones, who drilled a precise shot into the far corner to double the lead.
The home side continued to press, forcing mistakes from Hakin’s defence. Their persistence paid off in the 36th minute when a poor clearance from goalkeeper Gareth Fawcett landed at Dalling’s feet. With quick thinking, he lofted a superb 30-yard lob over the stranded keeper to make it 3-0.
Hakin responded just three minutes later. Ryan Wilson’s corner found Jack Britton at the far post, and he powered home a well-taken header to give the visitors a glimmer of hope before the break.
Goodwick stand firm, then seal the win
The second half was a more tactical affair, with Goodwick’s backline standing firm. The defensive unit of James Bryan, Matthew Delaney, Scott Delaney, and Sean Pemberton expertly nullified the attacking threats of Ashley Bevan, Alfie Stotter, Mark Jones, and Shane Walsh.
As Hakin pushed for a way back, Goodwick delivered the killer blow. Jonny Horgan’s excellent work down the left saw him deliver a pinpoint low cross into the box, which Haworth calmly slotted home for his second of the game, sealing an emphatic victory.
Hakin’s frustrations boiled over in the dying moments when Ashley Bevan was shown a straight red card by referee Stefan Jenkins, rounding off a disappointing afternoon for the Vikings.
Rivalry set to continue
These two sides won’t have to wait long for another battle, as they are set to face off again in the Senior Cup quarter-final at Phoenix Park in two weeks’ time.
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