Sport

Dragons deny brave Bluestone in thriller

Published

7 years ago

September 4, 2017

Winners: West Dragons won the first ever Bluestone Shield tournament

Bluestone 3 • West Dragons 3 (AET)

West Dragons win 4-2 on penalties

WEST DRAGONS won the inaugural Bluestone Foundation Shield after they beat Bluestone 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after a thrilling ninety minutes of football.

The final was played at the Bridge Meadow Stadium, Haverfordwest, on Friday, September 1, and a good crowd gathered to show their support.

Bluestone made an excellent start to the match and with only two minutes gone they stunned the Dragons as Bradley Hewett broke free and buried his shot into the bottom right corner of the net.

Dragon’s Tony Evans came close to a response for his side but after he cut inside his shot was saved.

With sixteen minutes on the clock the referee adjudged that Bradley Hewett had been pulled down in the area and pointed to the spot. Captain Ian Darbyshire took the spot kick and buried it into the net to double Bluestone’s lead.

Davies could have added a third just moments later but after he rounded the keeper he was met by the Dragons defence who were able to clear the ball.

Daryl Mansbridge had a chance for the Dragons with a free kick on the edge of the box but his shot went over the bar.

Shortly before half time the Dragons pulled a goal back as Jordan Williams ran into the box before Scott Crawford took over and fired the ball into the net.

Early in the second half, the Dragons came agonisingly close to equalising as Crawford’s fierce strike cannoned back off the crossbar.

Bluestone also had former Swansea City player Lee Trundle in their team and he came on with half an hour to go.

Dylan Davies came close for Bluestone as his run ended with him firing the ball just over the bar.

With twelve minutes to go the Dragons equalised from a corner as Crawford poked the ball home at the back post.

Assist: Lee Trundle came on and set up a goal for Bluestone

However, just five minutes later, Bluestone restored their lead as Trundle controlled the ball well before crossing to the back post for Llew Jones who composed himself after missing his first shot to fire into the roof of the net.

Those celebrations were short lived as Dorian Davies, after seeing his free kick blocked, reacted well to volley the ball into the bottom left corner of the net and make it 3-3.

There was still time for another chance and Trundle showed his trickery before being fouled but his resulting free kick was blocked by the wall.

Referee Paul Rooney called time on a thrilling match meaning penalties would be needed to decide the game.

Both sides scored their first penalties but Ewan Cunningham saw his spot kick saved by Bluestone keeper Chris Lo, only for Darbyshire to see the following kick tipped over the bar by Ben Henton.

Allen scored his next penalty for the Dragons but Henton again saved to give his side the advantage.

After eight penalties the Dragons led 3-2 and it was left to Ashley Prior who buried his effort to seal a first Bluestone Foundation Shield win for West Dragons.

After the match, it was announced that the tournament as a whole had raised over £1000 which will benefit projects within Pembrokeshire.

Bluestone Foundation Chairman Frank Atkins thanked those who attended and everyone who was involved with the tournament, including Ian Darbyshire, who first came up with the idea of the tournament.

For more photos, visit the Herald Sports Facebook page.

Related Topics:Bluestone Bridge Meadow pembrokeshire West Dragons

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

2 days ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

3 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

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

Published

4 days 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.