Baptism of fire for Bluebirds

Published

10 years ago

September 10, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Dangerman: Bluebird’s Ricky Watts holds off the dangerous Scott
Quigley • Pic: Kevin Bryce

Haverfordwest County 0
TNS 4

THE Bluebirds were given a baptism of fire on their return to the Welsh Premier League as they were beaten 4-0 by Welsh Champions TNS.

The New Saints dominated for much of the game at a soaking Bridge Meadow Stadium and almost went ahead after eleven minutes.

Scott Quigley crossed from the left hand side but Michael Wide’s header bounced back off the crossbar.

Connell Rawlinson then saw a shot saved by the busy Bluebirds keeper Scott James.

The Bluebirds offered little going forward and did threaten briefly when Ricky Watts found space down the right but his cross was headed wide by Jack Christopher.

Greg Walters also tried his luck from long range but his shot was deflected away for a corner.

Scott Quigley then saw another shot saved before the Champions broke the deadlock in fine fashion.

Alex Darlington picked the ball up in the middle of the half and ran into the box, beating three County players before firing low into the bottom left corner of the goal.

TNS continued to dominate and with eight minutes to go until half time, Dale Griffiths gave away a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box.

Chris Seargeant looked favourite to take it and he brilliantly curled the ball into the net to double his sides lead.

The second half started much like the first with the only professional team in the Welsh Premier League on top.

Quigley was a constant threat to the Bluebirds and goalkeeper Scott James had to be alert to pull off another save from the striker.

With almost an hour gone, Quigley turned provider as he crossed into the box where Alex Darlington was on hand with a diving header to make it 3-0 to TNS.

Six minutes later TNS were awarded a penalty which Darlington stepped up to take, looking to complete his hat-trick.

However, Scott James guessed the right way and pulled off an excellent save to keep the score at 3-0.

With fifteen minutes to go, Bluebirds sub John Roberts was sent through on goal but he agonisingly lifted his shot into the side netting.

They were made to pay for that miss as two minutes later TNS added their fourth goal of the game.

Aeron Edwards drilled a low shot towards goal which was saved by Scott James but he could do nothing about the rebound as sub Greg Draper pounced to make it 4-0.

More chances followed for the champions who made the perfect start to their campaign while the Bluebirds will be hoping for a better time out in their next match.

The next game for the Bluebirds is on Saturday, August 29, and sees them travel to mid-Wales to take on Newtown AFC, kick off at 2.30pm.

Tough game: Declan Carroll in action in a tough opener for the Bluebirds

Clarbeston Road AFC scores green energy goal with solar upgrade

Published

3 hours ago

June 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Local football club moves toward energy self-sufficiency thanks to grant

CLARBESTON ROAD AFC has taken a major step towards becoming energy self-sufficient after receiving funding from the Welsh Government and Sport Wales for a solar power installation at its Knock Playing Field facilities.

The club, which signed up to the FAW Together Greener Charter in April, was awarded an Energy Saving Grant which has enabled it to install roof-mounted photovoltaic systems on both its garage and changing rooms.

The project also includes battery storage, helping the club maximise its use of renewable energy. In a further boost to sustainability, the changing rooms now feature an iBoost solar immersion heater controller, which allows solar energy to be used for heating the water in the showers.

A club spokesperson said: “One of our key goals under the Greener Charter was to install solar generation and other energy-saving measures to reduce our environmental impact and cut long-term costs. Thanks to the grant support, and the excellent work of local contractor Preseli Solar, we’ve been able to achieve that.”

The installation reflects a wider push across grassroots sport in Wales to tackle climate change, cut utility costs, and futureproof facilities. By generating their own power and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, clubs like Clarbeston Road AFC are helping lead the way in community-level sustainability.

The Herald understands that the funding was part of a broader Welsh Government initiative to support sport infrastructure improvements with an environmental focus.

***Photo caption: Solar boost: Clarbeston Road AFC’s changing rooms and garage at Knock Playing Field are now fitted with solar panels and battery storage (Pic: Clarbeston Road AFC/Facebook)***

Sport

Race Preview: Barry Island 10K 2025

Published

4 hours ago

June 13, 2025

Herald Sport

NATASHA WILSON, Gemma Steel and Omar Ahmed lead the start lists for the Barry Island 10k this coming Sunday.

The race returns after a two-year sabbatical and hosts the second race in the 2025 R4W 10K Series at the quirky and popular seaside town famed for the Gavin and Stacey sitcom series.

Natasha Wilson (33:09) is the second fastest Welsh Athlete in history for the Marathon. She was the winner of the Cardiff University / Cardiff Half Marathon in 2022 and the victor of the Swansea University / Swansea Half Marathon last Sunday in 72:13.

2014 European Cross Country Champion Gemma Steel (31:26) last ran on Welsh soil at the Asics Home Nations 5K in Cardiff in 2023 finishing eighth in 16:15. She is the 11th fastest British Athlete in history over 10K and last raced at the Midland Counties Road Relay Championships in March.

Kate Estlea Morris (33:38) was the winner of the Reading Half Marathon in 2024 and a runaway winner at the Brecon Carreg CDF 10K last September and will look to challenge Wilson and Steel here.

Olivia Tsim (33:48) will also be in action and was second at the Adidas Manchester Marathon on her marathon debut in April and a previous winner of the Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay 10K. She was also the winner of the season opener in the Welsh 10km Series at Caerphilly.

Alaw Evans (34:23) was the 2023 winner at the CDF 10k and a consistent performer that could cause an upset here.

Omar Ahmed (28:35) is a prolific racer and is rarely beaten. He most recently took victory at the Swansea University / Swansea Half Marathon in 63:13 last Sunday and is also a previous winner of the Run 4 Wales 10K Series.

Phil Wylie (29:30) finished fourth here at the last edition of this race and returns on Sunday.

Mike Ward (29:31) was the runner up at the Bryn Meadows Caerphilly 10k in early May and will face-off against the race winner Jonathan Butler (29:52) who is the final sub 30-minute performer in action here.

Daniel Hamilton (30:17 and Adam Bull (31:03) are next fastest.

Sport

Ceredigion prepares to host 2025 National Road Cycling Championships

Published

5 hours ago

June 13, 2025

Herald Sport

County to welcome elite riders and fans for major sporting event

CEREDIGION is gearing up to welcome some of Britain’s top cyclists later this month as it plays host to the 2025 Lloyds National Road Cycling Championships and Beicio Cymru’s Road Cycling Championships.

The prestigious event, organised in partnership with British Cycling, will run from Wednesday, June 26 to Sunday, June 29, beginning in the picturesque seaside town of Aberaeron and finishing in Aberystwyth.

Spectators are invited to watch along the routes but are urged to choose safe viewing spots that do not obstruct the cyclists or race officials.

To support the smooth running of the championships, temporary road closures will be in place around Aberaeron and in and around Aberystwyth. A full list of closures can be found at:
www.ceredigion.gov.uk/resident/tourism-leisure/cycling-championships

The action begins on Thursday, June 26 with the individual time trials. Riders will set off from Aberaeron, racing through scenic countryside via Ciliau Aeron and Llanerchaeron before finishing on Lampeter Road. Time trials will run between 9:00am and 5:00pm.

In Aberystwyth, the ‘Caru Ceredigion’ area on the Promenade will host a range of stalls and exhibitions from Friday to Sunday, offering something for all ages. On Sunday, a large screen on the Promenade will live stream the final day of racing.

Businesses and residents across Ceredigion are being encouraged to decorate their properties to show support for the event and give visitors a warm welcome.

Due to high-speed racing — with cyclists expected to reach speeds of up to 50mph — all vehicles must be removed from the race routes. Any vehicles left along the course will be towed away for safety reasons.

British Cycling’s production team will use drones to capture aerial footage of the races. Private drone operators are asked not to fly drones along the course or near the production crew.

Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, said:
“Ceredigion has a proud track record in producing elite cyclists, including Josh Tarling, Stevie Williams and Gruff Lewis. Hosting the national championships is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our county and inspire the next generation of young riders.”

To coincide with the main event, the popular Summer Series for young Ceredigion cyclists will return. Three rounds of family-friendly races, organised by Ystwyth Cycling, Welsh Cycling and Ceredigion Actif, will take place on: