Sport

Thrilling finale sees Clarby through to Final

Published

7 years ago

February 22, 2018

CLARBESTON Road are the first team into the Senior Cup final after they knocked out holders Merlins Bridge on Wednesday night (Feb 21), thanks to a last minute deflected strike from Ieuan Cooke.

The Bridge, who had a man sent off with twenty minutes to go, had thought they forced the game into extra time when Chris Ormond headed in but it wasn’t to be as Cooke’s winner sent the Clarby players and fans into delirium.

The game was a repeat of last season’s Final which the Wizards won and both sides were clearly determined to reach the Final once more.

It was a quiet first half with Merlins Bridge shading the possession and having the better of the chances.

Will Haworth came close for the Wizards but his shot was pushed wide by Clarby keeper Lee Scott.

Adam Hawkins also tried his luck but his shot was tame and was easily saved by Scott.

On the half hour mark, Clarby’s Jason Griffiths tried a long shot but Bridge keeper Gary Thomas was equal to it.

A minute later, Griffiths flashed a ball across the face of goal but nobody was able to get on the end of it.

Joey George then sent an inviting cross to the back post for Hawkins but as the Clarby players appealed for offside, he could only send his effort into the side netting.

Matthew D’Ivry then played Hawkins in once more but he dragged his shot well wide of the posts.

Then on the stroke of half time Clarby got the all-important breakthrough as Tom Reubens beat the defender before sending a shot towards goal which was deflected in by the Wizards’ Richard Hughes.

There was still time for Merlins Bridge to come back and from the kick off a long ball was missed by the Clarby defence allowing Will Haworth in but his shot was saved at the near post.

The half time whistle went with Clarby leading by a goal to nil but the game was still up for grabs.

The Wizards started well in the second half and Luke Hayward saw his effort pushed wide by Scott and from the resulting corner, Hawkins saw his volleyed effort also saved.

Mike Turpin then sent a cross into the box which had to be tipped over by Bridge keeper Thomas with players lurking.

Bridge top scorer Nathan Greene was introduced to the action and he almost made an immediate impact when he turned and shot towards goal but Scott got down well to save it.

Then came a few moments of madness from Bridge defender Richard Hughes as he was booked and then brought down Clarby’s Matthew Davies and after waving play on, referee Sean O’Connor waited for play to end before producing a second yellow card for Hughes.

Despite being down to ten men the Wizards still had chances and Hawkins saw a shot saved before Greene saw an effort cannon back off the crossbar.

With three minutes to go the Wizards were awarded a free kick which D’Ivry delivered and Chris Ormond rose highest to head the ball into the net despite the best efforts of the Clarby keeper to save it.

That got their tails up and moments later Greene headed over from a corner as the Bridge pushed for a winner.

Then, deep into injury time, a ball into the box fell to Ieuan Cooke and his effort looked as if it would be saved by Thomas but a Bridge defender stuck an unfortunate leg out and the ball bounced off him and into the net.

Nathan Greene heads over from a corner

That sent the Clarby players and coaches wild and they held on to reach the final for the second year in a row.

They will now play the winners of the second semi-final between Carew and Hakin United which takes place next Wednesday (Feb 28).

Speaking after the match, Clarbeston Road coach Matthew Ellis said: “Everyone gave 110% as we knew we would have a tough night ahead of us. They started at a high pace and were on top until we changed formation slightly and this slowly got us into the game.

“The goal came at the perfect time and gave us a massive boost going into half time knowing they would have to break us down and would leave gaps at the back. Tom Reubens has been excellent this season and showed his power and pace to create the goal.

“The sending off didn’t really affect the game as we kept the same shape and allowed them to have the ball in their half as we tried to conserve energy for the final onslaught.

“It was a big blow when they scored when they did, I gave away the free kick which led to the goal so when Cookie got the goal in injury time I was ecstatic as none of us wanted extra time.

“It is a massive achievement for the team and the whole club as it is so well run behind the scenes. This is a reward for both us and them.

“Two senior cup finals in two seasons is outstanding, let’s hope this season we will be the winning side!”

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

1 day 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

2 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

3 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.