Sport
Fawcett sends Bluebirds through in extra time
TWO extra time goals from Ben Fawcett sent Haverfordwest County into the third round of the League Cup at the expense of holders Bridgend Street on Saturday (Sept 8).
The Street had beaten Haverfordwest County on their way to winning the Cup last season and the Bluebirds were out for some revenge in manager Wayne Jones’ first game in charge.
Both sides had chances early on but it was the Street who went ahead as Paul Fowler tucked away a penalty midway through the half.
The Bluebirds looked to get themselves back into the game and eight minutes before half time they did just that as Elliot Scotcher crossed into the box for Sean Pemberton to head home.
Then on the stroke of half time Trundle was brought down in the box and he was given the chance to put the Bluebirds into the lead. He made no mistake and the home side led 2-1 when referee Tom Bevan blew for half time.
Scotcher then saw a shot go just wide at the start of the second half before he again teed up Pemberton but this time his header was wide of the mark.
After some good build up play, Trundle played the ball through for Ricky Watts but he shot over the bar.
Ben Fawcett was then brought on for Trundle with fifteen minutes to go and he nearly had an instant impact but his header went wide.
Then with ten minutes to go the visitors levelled as the ball was played to Callum Smith after keeper Steve Hall had come out of his net and the striker shot into an empty net.
Smith then came close again moments later but his long range effort was pushed wide by Hall.
It looked as if the game would go to extra time but with four minutes left Leon Luby played an excellent ball to the back post for Jack Wilson who volleyed in superbly to make it 3-2.
There was still time for more drama when Fawcett won the ball back before going one on one with keeper Damian Lack who just got a hand on it to pluck the ball away.
Watts also saw a shot saved before Lack pulled a dangerous cross out of the air with Fawcett waiting to knock in.
With time running out Bridgend looked to force the game into extra time but Luby was in the right place as he cleared a David Brooks effort off the line.
In the last minute of time added on captain Paul Fowler unleashed an unstoppable shot which flew into the top left hand corner of the net.
An extra thirty minutes was needed to see if the teams could be separated and it was the Street who nearly went ahead when White flicked through for Brooks but his shot was saved.
Smith then saw a shot go over before Fraser Finlay hit the post for the Bluebirds.
Six minutes into extra time Fawcett fired into the top corner to put the home side into the lead.
Five minutes later a corner wasn’t cleared properly and sub Michael Nessbert lashed the ball into the net to level the scores once again.
Bridgend again had another chance to score but it remained 4-4 when the whistle went for half time.
The second half of extra time got underway with the Bluebirds looking to get themselves back into the lead for the fourth time.
They did just two minutes in as Ricky Watts won the ball well on the edge of the box and he crossed to the back post for Wilson who headed back across into the middle for Fawcett who headed in.
Wilson then saw a header saved as the home side looked to make the game safe.
Bridgend pushed for another equaliser but tempers boiled over as Brooks was shown a second yellow card for a kick out and goalscorer Nessbert was also given his marching orders for what appeared to be dissent.
They then saw the game out to book their place in the next round and they will look forward to seeing who they will be drawn against.
Before that the Bluebirds will return to league action on Saturday, September 15, when they play at home to Afan Lido, kick off 2:30pm.
Sport
Preseli poses a challenge for novice crews
THE END of April will see the popular novice night rally organised by the Teifi Valley Motor Club being held in Pembrokeshire. On the weekend of 27th and 28th April, Rali Bro Preseli will see 75 novice crews tackling the winding and challenging roads that Pembrokeshire has to offer.
Clerks of the Course, father and son Richard and Jason Davies along with Aled Richards have a terrific route lined up for competitors. Starting as usual at the Crymych Mart, the route will appeal to all novice drivers and navigators.
“It will offer a bit of everything. It will be challenging but easy to follow with some whites thrown in the mix. Aled has designed the whole route and we’ve done the donkey work,” said Jason, now in his second year as Clerk of the Course.
As regular competitors, Jason and Richard wanted to give something back to the sport and they enjoy being on the organising side of the things.
Jason, who won the Bro Preseli with his father in 2013, explained: “We’ve competed in the Preseli on several occasions, and we decided to give something back to the sport and that’s why dad and I thought it would be a good idea to help.
“It’s interesting to see how it all comes together and the work involved, and there’s a lot of that,”
He also won the event with Tim Hand in 2016 and was fourth overall in 2019.
Aled Richards, Joint Clerk of the Course, knows the routes of Rali Bro Preseli like the back of his hand having only ever missed it once since its formation in 2003. He’s driven on four of them in 2005 – 2008 with the best result of a 4th place with Arwel Jenkins in the navigator seat.
Aled has been Chief Marshal on Rali Bro Preseli since 2013 before moving on to being Clerk of the Course this year and competitors can look forward to a great event.
Aled told the Herald: “This is the first time I’ve been Clerk of the Course, but we have a good team with Dylan Davies as Chief Marshal and Olwen Davies as Secretary.
“I live some 30 miles away from the actual route, but we’ve been around it twice and I’m confident it will be a good yet challenging night. Some of the whites are currently waterlogged but the farmers have been brilliant and offered to help clear the tracks before the event and we are very grateful.”
The rally, kindly sponsored by Arjay Factors and Home James Taxis, will have four official Spectator Points on the night and the locations will be available at signing on.
The Clerks of the Course and the Teifi Valley Motor Club would like to thank all those who have helped to organise the event – landowners, homes en route, petrol at Brian Llewellyn a’i Ferched, and the start and finish venues – Crymych Mart and the Teifi Waterside Hotel.
Sport
Herbrandston Clinch Promotion to Division One
Following a one all draw Tuesday night away to Narberth it confirmed Herbrandston’s promotion to the first division. An amazing achievement for Manger Leigh Galdo and his assistant Timmy Roberts. With a young team and after losing quality players over the summer it’s safe to say promotion wasn’t really ‘on the cards’ for Herbie in August.
On paper nobody would have expected Herbie to challenge at the top of the league. However they started the league as they meant to go on, with an outstanding unbeaten run, which made everyone quickly realise they were not to be underestimated. Galdo has done an excellent job in developing not only a young team, but the players as individuals who’ve matured as the season has developed. While they will enjoy promotion they won’t be relaxing too much as they still hope to lift the second division cup at Bridge Meadow.
Herbie’s boss however found some time in his busy schedule to reflect on promotion and the season to date.
‘Promotion wasn’t really on the radar when we sat down last summer and assessed the situation. With a mass exodus of first team starters, a full rebuild looked on the cards.
However the players we have in this years group are nothing if not resilient. A great start to the campaign meant we had put ourselves in contention early, 13 league games undefeated up to Xmas proved that we had enough to at least contend. There were certainly some tough test in the new year but all of them learning opportunities and a chance for this group of players to grow and mature as a team.
I’m a firm believer that through adversity, that’s where the real development can happen and it certainly seems that way with us at the moment with many of our young players now looking battle tested.
Humbled and armed with those lessons we’re looking now to finish the season strong. Back into the 1st Division has been the club’s ambition now for quite a few years and after finally achieving that after many close seasons in doing so we can turn our focus to trying to add some silverware in the 2nd Division cup.
A very tough task with the quality of teams left in the competition. But a challenge we embrace and look forward too. We’ll stay in the fight to the very end and see what destiny awaits us. ‘Up the Pickles’’
Congratulations to everyone involved in the club on promotion. A club that’s setup off the field and at junior level really deserves division one football. We also wish Herbie the best of luck for the cup too.
News
Micky Beckett, Pembrokeshire’s Olympic hopeful, wins big in Palma!
Micky Beckett, the pride of Solva and a stalwart of the British Sailing Team, once again etched his name in the annals of sailing history with a resounding victory at the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma last week, marking his third consecutive triumph at this illustrious event. The 29-year-old maestro showcased his dominance in the men’s dinghy class amidst stiff competition from a formidable fleet of 193 boats, clinching the title with a day to spare.
His gold-medal feat spearheaded a triumphant campaign for the British contingent, as John Gimson and Anna Burnet secured bronze in the Nacra 17 category, while the rising star Matilda Nicholls clinched her debut senior-level medal, a bronze in the ILCA 6 class.
Entering the pivotal double points medal race, Beckett held an unassailable lead atop the leaderboard, a testament to his unparalleled skill and unwavering determination. Despite the comfort of his position, Beckett refused to relent, clinching a second-place finish in the decisive race and ultimately sealing victory with an imposing 44-point margin.
Reflecting on his remarkable achievement, Beckett humbly acknowledged the significance of his third consecutive triumph, stating, “I’ve been trying all week not to think about the fact that if I won this event it would be three in a row, but now it’s real and it’s pretty cool.” His sentiments echoed a blend of confidence and humility, underscoring the arduous journey that led to his triumph.
With his sights set on the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, Beckett exuded a mixture of confidence and determination, aware of the challenges that lie ahead. “All the top guys will be following their own plans to build up to this summer, but I have to say that beating them is a nice confidence boost,” Beckett remarked, encapsulating the competitive spirit that drives him towards excellence.
Despite his past setbacks in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Beckett remains undaunted, poised to make his mark on the global stage in Marseille, where he aims to transcend mere participation and carve his legacy amongst the world’s elite ILCA 7 sailors. With a European title in 2021 and a world silver in 2023 adorning his resume, Beckett’s journey is a testament to perseverance and unwavering dedication to his craft.
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