Sport
Captain Bony calms the ship
By Jonathan Twigg
A MAN of the match performance from Captain Wilfried Bony led the charge for Swansea City on Saturday (Dec 9) when his second goal in consecutive games sealed a dour 1-0 victory on a dark and gloomy afternoon over West Bromwich Albion at the Liberty Stadium.
Securing a valuable three points lifted Paul Clements under pressure Swans side off the foot of the Premier League table as Bony’s winner sparked a chorus of ‘Hymns and Arias’ with nine minutes remaining.
Substitute Tammy Abraham’s effort was cleared off the line at the far post from a Ki Sung-Yueng corner before the Ivory Coast strikers’ driven right foot shot which thundered beyond former England goalkeeper Ben Foster.
The Swans started the game at the foot of the table but took solace from the fact they had won five out of six fixtures when they had been in a similar situation previously. Their visitors hadn’t won a game in the Premier League for four months and were on a run of three consecutive defeats in their travels to West Wales.
The green shirted Albion started brightly keeping the ball and moving it around across the floor much unlike teams who play under their new manager Alan Pardew’s banner.
Without creating opportunities apart from a Jake Livermore shot midway through the half to punish the home side, the play meandered precariously towards stalemate at half time, unsurprisingly perhaps as former Bayern Munich Assistant Manager Paul Clements side had netted just eight goals in 15 league games.
Winger Nathan Dyer drew a foul from Claudio Yacob after 18 minutes which earned him yellow card which proved to be a catalyst for the apprehension surrounding Swansea’s play subsiding for the remainder of the first half as they gained superiority in terms of possession and territory.
The closest they came was when midfielder Livermore headed against his own post from a dipping Tom Carroll free kick as the visitors screened the play well through skipper Jonny Evans and his centre back partner Yacob across the 18 yard box.
Bony’s opportunities were restricted despite midfielders Carroll, Ki and Roque Mesa enterprising combinations with Dyer and full back Martin Olsson getting behind the opposition defence through the outside channels, where Sam Field collected a yellow card after 35 minutes as he tried to disrupt the inter play.
Centre half Alfie Mawson squandered a great opportunity to head an opening goal when he found space six yards out with seven minutes remaining before Swansea came out for the second half on the front foot.
Bony managed to break the defensive shackles on him with a strong and direct run but pulled a driven shot wide of the post, which added to the derisory tally of 27 shots on target this season for his side, the worst across any of the major European leagues.
Clement’s introduction of Jordan Ayew after 54 minutes for Wayne Routledge injected more spirit and it created opportunities to test Foster, from which Bony drew heart to become an influential figure on the game as the Baggies eventually wilted under the pressure and conceded the only goal.
Tammy Abraham should have sealed the victory in injury time when he was worked free to stride beyond the covering defenders only to wrench his effort wide when one on one with Foster, an effort which the eighteenth created in the match, but only three were on target.
Mesa picked up a second half yellow card as did Carroll before he was replaced by Luciano Narsingh, with Evans and substitute Chris Brunt for the Albion, alongside Welsh striker Hal Robson Kanu as he berated referee Dean on his way off the field to be replaced just before the goal, by Oliver Burke.
The crowd of 19,590 greeted the final whistle knowing they find themselves a point adrift Alan Pardew’s side who hover one place outside the relegation places; two wins would catapult Swansea to mid-table, which would be a welcome festive tonic as the January transfer window opens, allowing Clement an opportunity to re-inforce his squad which for most of this season has looked short on the quality required for survival in the Premier League.
Their first win since October was certainly scrappy where the immaculately dressed Clements’ initial reaction to Bony’s strike was to dance down the touchline coupled with a huge sigh of relief to go with his elation.
His bold offensive substitutions achieved the result he required as unbeaten table toppers Manchester City visit on Wednesday evening to fully test Clements’ skills and aptitude as a focused and thoughtful tactician.
The roadshow then heads to Goodison Park to take on an Everton side themselves on a run of four unbeaten games since former England supremo Sam Allardyce took the reins before fellow relegation rivals Crystal Palace arrive at the Liberty for a key Yuletide fixture on Saturday (Dec 23).
Swansea head on the road after Christmas, firstly again to Merseyside to face Liverpool at Anfield on Boxing Day and Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday (Dec 30) before hosting Tottenham Hotspur at home on Saturday (Jan 2).
Clement and his side will take confidence from Saturday’s victory which has eased the pressure in the cauldron after Club owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien afforded Clement their ‘public support’.
FISHGUARD will once again play host to the Wales Triathlon this summer, with hundreds of competitors set to descend on the town for the popular sporting event on Sunday, June 15.
Organised by Activity Wales Events, the triathlon includes a two-lap sea swim in Fishguard Bay, followed by a two-lap cycle from Fishguard to St Davids and a four-lap run along the Marine Walk and out onto the breakwater.
In order to facilitate the bike leg on closed roads, several road closures will be in place throughout the day.
Major road closures
The A487 between Goodwick and Mathry will be closed between 9:45am and 3:00pm.
Between Mathry and Croesgoch, the A487 will be closed from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and from Croesgoch to St Davids the closure will run from 10:00am until 2:45pm.
Crossing points will be in operation at Mathry crossroads, Croesgoch crossroads, and the Llangoffan to Granston junction. Diversions will be signposted, with local traffic routed via minor B roads and through Haverfordwest for longer journeys.
Town centre impact
In Fishguard, West Street will be closed between 12:00pm and 6:00pm for the running stage. Residents will still be able to exit side roads, with diversions clearly marked.
Goodwick residents will be able to exit the town via the Tesco roundabout, which will remain open all day.
Care access and course passes
Care workers will be allowed access to visit clients within the closed sections, but must obtain a course pass via their organisation in advance.
On the day, carers using the route must:
- Follow the direction of the race
- Display their pass clearly
- Keep hazard lights on at all times
- Exit the route as soon as safely possible
Further information
The event attracted over 1,000 athletes last year, and organisers anticipate another strong turnout.
More information can be found at: www.walestriathlon.com/athletes/event-info
Road closure details are available at: community.walestriathlon.com
For course pass enquiries, contact: info@activitywalesevents.com
All matches complete as season concludes
THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.
The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:
- Carew 8–2 Llanteg
- St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
- Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
- Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
- Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
- East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty
Final League Table (2024/25 Season)
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williamston | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 313 | 158 |
| 2 | St Johns | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 111 | 122 |
| =3 | Carew | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 105 | 111 |
| =3 | Cosheston | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 77 | 111 |
| 5 | Reynalton | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 104 |
| 6 | Hundleton | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 97 |
| 7 | Llanteg | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | -71 | 92 |
| 8 | St Twynnells | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | -97 | 89 |
| 9 | Badgers | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | -22 | 82 |
| =10 | Lamphey | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -179 | 67 |
| =10 | Kilgetty | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -262 | 67 |
Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.
FORMAL plans to redevelop the grounds of one of the oldest football clubs in Wales – which includes a new 310-seater stand – have been submitted to the council.
Aberystwyth Town Football Club has submitted an application for the redevelopment of its grounds at Park Avenue Stadium, Aberystwyth.
A supporting statement from agent JMS Planning and Development says the proposal seeks “full planning permission for the demolition of the existing main stand and the creation of a new clubhouse, turnstile, changing rooms, business unit and improvements to the existing seated and standing terraces which will include new roof canopies and all associated works”.
The formal application follows an earlier public consultation.
It adds: “Aberystwyth Town Football Club is proudly one of the oldest football clubs in Wales, whereby the club was founded some 140 years ago in 1884. The club is one of the founding members of what is now known as the ‘Cymru Premier’, of which it is only one of two teams to have never been relegated since its inception in 1992.
“The men’s senior team is loyally supported by local community and has seen an increase in attendance over the past couple of years, reaching nearly 6,000 spectators over the year for the men’s team alone. A number of Cymru Premier matches are broadcast live from the ground each season on S4C and streamed online to a worldwide audience. The Football Association of Wales recently confirmed a new structure and strategy to the league with the aim of boosting its commercial profile, competitiveness, and fan interest both nationally and internationally.
“As a Premier European Division, clubs are provided the opportunity to qualify for UEFA competitions and compete across the Continent, whereby it is imperative that facilities and infrastructure across the country are developed to meet UEFA Licensing requirements. Should Aberystwyth Town qualify – or host other clubs’ European matches as has occurred in recent years – the redevelopment of the facilities at Park Avenue will enable Ceredigion to continue to host continental sporting events.”
It says Aberystwyth Town Football Club “is often called ‘home’ by a number of other teams in the region which rely on the club’s facilities and all-weather pitch for the provision of training sessions and matches”.
The scheme itself is the first phase of development, the second relating to residential development.
Of phase 1, it says: “The proposal seeks the construction of a new clubhouse and community facility, a 310-seater stand, replacement turnstile, ticketing office, roofs over existing seated and standing terraces, new primary and secondary changing room facilities, dedicated business/employment unit, with improvements to accessibility throughout the site, including the re-construction of a dedicated disabled viewing platform.”
It adds: “The scheme proposes vast improvements to the accessibility of the site by providing step-free access throughout the whole site, thus promoting an inclusive environment. Similarly, the scheme introduces improvements to a dedicated viewing platform for less-able bodied.”
It goes on to say: “The existing main stand and changing rooms are in a state of deterioration and require significant investment if required to serve the club for years in the future. Hence, modern and fit-for-purpose facilities are proposed to revitalise the site which will enhance the provision of the community facility, encourage the uptake of sports, and in-turn promote the health and well-being of a wide range of social groups in the local and regional area.
“The development also promotes equality and inclusivity for both male and female players and officials, who will benefit from segregated and modern changing facilities, in accordance with the requirements of the Football Association of Wales.”
The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.
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