Sport

Swans keep boyhood dreams alive

Published

5 years ago

January 24, 2018

By Jonathan Twigg

“Premier League games against the big teams are always very special, and tonight’s game will have added spice with the result being vitally important to both teams” said under fire Swansea Chairman Huw Jenkins OBE on Monday (Jan 22).

The game started in a stonewall tribute to local St Joseph’s player Mitchell Joseph who tragically died whilst playing from a cardiac arrest, along with footballing greats Cyril Regis and Jimmy Armfield, a World Cup winner in 1966.

The result, a 1-0 win for Swansea over Liverpool, achieved with 28 percent possession, a fifth of their opponent’s shots at goals and a third of the corners won. The only statistic that mattered was the score line. A story born from any boyhood comic, where the evil character could have been Captain Can, a German wearing the oppositions armband of leadership. ‘Sleepy G’ this game wasn’t as bottom of the table Swansea, six points from safety started with three central defender to defeat the ‘Reds’ for the first time since Spurs rumbled them at Wembley in September.

The start was cagey, Swansea lacking belief to be direct, compensating by fronting up in challenges but having no outlet amidst the footballing ‘capital of Wales, way down by the sea’.

Chances were created by both sides but restricted in their tenacity through technical discipline, Manager Carvalhal stated post match ‘when you come up against a F1 car you may struggle in a race. If you put that F1 car amongst some London traffic it is no longer a F1 car as it has to respond to the traffic around it’.

An analogy worthy of any comic book hero; maybe a new Tinkerman has risen from the Phoenix and all boys know what happened to the last Tinkerman to grace the Premier League.

Liverpool sloppiness four minutes before half time gave away a corner which they didn’t deal with and pin ball around the penalty spot saw the ball fall to centre back Alfie Mawson. He swung a right foot to bury the opening goal, his third of the season but at a cost with his central defensive partner Fernandez taking a bloody nose from his own players celebrations.

Liverpool’s indiscipline saw a yellow card for a clinical challenge by Robertson on Ayew and another for Matip, when he poleaxed Clucas as the red engine oil stuttered to disable the turbo boosters. Referee Neil Swarbrick signalled the half time interval which brought a crescendo of voices, the volume not heard at that level all season.

Liverpool’s tempo after the break was more warming as Swansea midfielder Fer was guilty of picking up the man in blacks cards, albeit as confetti after Swarbrick dropped them to the amusement of the ‘Jack army’.

The atmosphere was reminiscent of 1980s and you ‘could not help but fall back in love’ with the beautiful game; McNaughton made a last ditch tackle on Robertson recalling memories of February 1981, when 22,604 at the Vetch Field cheered the Mersey beat when current Club legends Leighton James and Alan Curtis netted in a 2-0 victory. The Liberty faithful, 20,886 were treated to the same intense feeling as the halcyon days, with the big Pole in the goal tipping a driven free kick from Salah over the bar on the hour mark.

It would be incorrect to state ‘only one set of fans were singing’ at this juncture but the powerful Fabianski was commanding in goal even at times heading his side in the right direction and reducing the Champions League last sixteen entrants to speculative long range shots.

Swansea put Carroll on for Dyer, as did Klopp, Lalanna for Chamberlin and Ings thrown on for Wijnaldum but the white wall ensured any cracks were quickly cemented over, with Van der Hoorn a beacon shining before Fabianski before Ayew, unbounded and uncompromised was broken, to be replaced by Bony.

To Max Boyce singing Hymns and Arias the enormity of Swansea lifting themselves to 20 points against a team who defeated the previously unbeaten league leaders Manchester City just a week ago glistened through. ‘Comon City’ was an eruption of volcanic proportions and certainly for those ‘Swansea till they die’ proponents seeing four minutes of added time read like a comic book finale.

Salah blasted over and Firmino, clear in front of goal felt the reverberations of the choir as his header rebounded off the upright. “We are in hospital” said Carvalhal, “in a serious condition, but no longer in Intensive Care.” One in the onion bag for my Harry and all Jacks, for when the chips are down it becomes ‘together stronger’. Alive and kicking, still bottom of the Premier League but just six points off a place in the top half.

A storyline only for the comic book? Maybe not as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp acknowledged, ‘the stadium was theirs tonight and the confidence grew from it’, which abodes well for the next four months on the rollercoaster.

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Sport

Cup semi-finals and more league action this weekend

Published

4 weeks ago

March 2, 2023

James Hemingray

THERE are two Divisional cup semi-finals this weekend as well as the usual league action across Pembrokeshire.

The first of those semis is in the Division 3 Cup. Letterston will take on Lawrenny at Carew with that game kicking off at 2pm.

Letterston beat holders Clarbeston Road seconds on penalties in the last round while Lawrenny beat St Florence.

The other semi-final sees Haverfordwest CC taking on Camrose with that game taking place next weekend, March 11.

There is also one semi-final in the Division 5 Cup this weekend and it sees Cosheston seconds taking on Milford Athletic seconds with that game being played at Pembroke Boro and also kicking off at 2pm.

Cosheston beat Pembroke Boro seconds 5-1 in the quarter finals while Milford Athletic beat Broad Haven seconds 4-3.

There is a game in the Division 2 cup too as Herbrandston host Solva, with that game again kicking off at 2pm.

In Division 1, leaders Goodwick United host Kilgetty in what will be a good game between two in-form teams. Goodwick earned a 2-0 win over Kilgetty in their last meeting. Both sides go into this game on three-game unbeaten runs (in all competitions) and it promises to be a close encounter.

Second placed Merlins Bridge have suffered three straight defeats in all competitions and they will look to get back to winning ways when they take on Fishguard.

Clarbeston Road take on Neyland and the league’s bottom two also meet as St Clears travel to St Ishmaels.

Monkton Swifts are on a four game unbeaten run and they face local rivals Pennar Robins who themselves have won their last two games.

All Division 1 games will be kicking off at 2:30pm.

In Division 2, second placed Milford United host fifth placed Johnston. Milford were beaten last week by Tenby and they will be keen to get back to winning ways.

Johnston are unbeaten in three games and they will be looking for another win to close the gap on the top four.

Narberth have won their last three games and they take on Carew seconds. A win for the Bluebirds will take them closer to their opponents in the table.

Tenby will be bouyed by their win over Milford last week and they host Broad Haven on Saturday.

Pennar Robins seconds earned their first win of the season last weekend and they now host rivals Monkton Swifts seconds.

In Division 3, Cosheston host Camrose, Haverfordwest Cricket Club host Goodwick United seconds. Milford Athletic host Pendine and Pembroke Boro visit St Florence.

Fixtures for Division 4:

Angle v Newport Tigers
Camrose II v Tenby II
Carew III v Prendergast Villa
Kilgetty II v St Ishmaels II
Neyland II v Herbrandston II

Fixtures for Division 5:

Broad Haven II v Pembroke Boro II
Johnston II v N Hedges & Saundersfoot
Lawrenny II v Letterston II
St Clears II v Monkton Swifts III

Sport

Bluebirds beaten on the road

Published

1 month ago

February 27, 2023

James Hemingray

HAVERFODWEST County suffered defeat on Saturday (Feb 25) as their hopes of finishing seventh took a blow.

The Bluebirds had beaten Flint Town United last time out and were hoping to pick up another win but they came up against a Pontypridd side bouyed by their late show against Aberystwyth in their last game which saw them earn a 3-3 draw.

There was a chance for Ben Fawcett early on as he latched on to a long ball but his shot from the edge of the area went just wide.

In the 24th minute, Jordan Davies crossed the ball to the back post for Jazz Richards whose header back towards proved too hot for the Ponty keeper to handle who palmed the ball into the net.

However, nine minutes later the home side were back level as Kieran Lewis’ corner was headed in by Jarrad Wright.

The game remained 1-1 at the break with both sides keen to make a good start to the second half.

For the Bluebirds, it was anything but. Four minutes in, Oscar Borg was sent off for pulling down Ponty’s Ben Ahmun, giving the home side a free kick on the edge of the box.

Lewis stepped up and curled a brilliant effort into the net to put the home side ahead.

Ponty nearly added a third late on as the ball was sent through for Danny Williams but he could not beat Bluebirds keeper Zac Jones. The rebound fell to Owain Jones but he sent his effort over the bar.

The win for Ponty moves them back out of the bottom two and they now sit three points behind the Bluebirds.

The sides now have a two-week break before their next league game.

On Saturday, March 11, Haverfordwest travel to Aberystwyth Town while Pontypridd host Caernarfon Town.

Sport

Division 2: Johnston, Tenby and Hakin seconds earn victories

Published

1 month ago

February 27, 2023

James Hemingray

THERE were wins for Johnston, Tenby and Hakin United seconds on Saturday (Feb 25) as the race for promotion to Division 1 hots up.

Hakin United seconds remain top of the table after they beat Monkton Swifts seconds 2-0.

Leon Davies scored after half an hour and James Trueman added a second with twenty minutes to go as the Vikings earned their thirteenth win of the season.

Their gap to second placed Milford United increased to four points as the Robins were beaten 4-0 by Tenby.

After a goalless first half, Dan Storer put Tenby ahead before Scott Ferney added a second. Jerome Mansbridge added a third before Ferney put the result beyond doubt with an 82nd minute penalty.

Herbrandston missed the chance to close the gap to Milford after they were beaten 2-0 by Johnston.

Craig Bendall scored a 17th minute penalty and Joey George added a second ten minutes before the break. There were no more goals and Johnston held on for the win which moves them five points behind Herbie.

Narberth earned their third league win in a row on Saturday as they came from behind to beat Merlins Bridge seconds 2-1.

Rhys Corney put the Wizards ahead but two quick goals from Jordan Williams and Morgan Preece gave Narberth victory.

Broad Haven earned their sixth win of the season on Saturday as they beat Solva 6-1.

Jack Thornton put Solva ahead in the thirteenth minute but Thomas Lawrence equalised a minute later.

Spencer Le-Petit then scored either side of half time to make it 3-1. Ian Harvey added a fourth before scoring a further two goals in the space of four minutes to seal a comfortable win.

Pennar Robins seconds earned their first win of the season on Saturday as they beat Carew seconds 1-0. It had looked as if the game was heading for a 0-0 draw but a late goal from Bobby Jones earned Pennar a welcome win.

Fixtures for Saturday, March 4:

Second Division Cup
Herbrandston v Solva

Division 2
Milford United v Johnston
Narberth v Carew seconds
Pennar Robins seconds v Monkton Swifts seconds
Tenby v Broad Haven