Sport

Neyland win Alec Colley thriller

Published

5 years ago

August 19, 2019

NEYLAND claimed the Alec Colley Cup for the first time in 28 years as they held off a late charge from Cresselly on Sunday (Aug 18).

It was a thrilling final which went down to the final ball but it was Neyland who came out on top in Pembroke.

Neyland scored 146-4 in their first innings before Cresselly replied with 127-4.

That gave Neyland a lead of 19 runs and their seconds innings total of 152-4 set Cresselly 172 to win.

Cresselly looked to be on their way to their target but some good late bowling ensured Neyland won by only six runs.

Prior to the game, a minutes silence was held in memory of umpire John Williams who sadly passed away. A collection was also held with money raised going to the Wales Air Ambulance.

Cresselly won the toss and elected to field and it was Nathan Banner and Lewis Page who opened up with a first wicket stand worth 48 runs.

Page made a score of 23 before he was bowled by Lyn Richards and Matthew Lewis then bowled Stephen Murray.

Ollie Richards then had Gavin Rowland stumped by Neal Williams as Neyland were reduced to 99-3.

Banner made his way to a score of 76 with four fours and five sixes but he was then caught by Matthew Lewis off the bowling of Josh Lewis.

Patrick Hannon finished unbeaten on 17 to give his side a good opening total.

Cresselly’s reply began badly as Mike Venables was run out by Nathan Banner and Neal Williams then saw his shot caught by Luke Ryan to give Patrick Hannon his first wicket.

Despite being 1-2, Simon Cole and Scott Arthur shared 83 runs for the third wicket as they looked to get Cresselly up and running.

Arthur made his way to a score of 32 but he was then caught by Paul Miller off the bowling of Gary Lloyd.

Cole scored an excellent half century but was then trapped leg before by Banner on a score of 55.

Matthew Lewis then finished unbeaten on 18 and Lyn Richards unbeaten on 11 as Cresselly ended their first innings 19 runs short of their opponents.

Neyland lost Lewis Page early on as he was caught by Lyn Richards off the bowling of Josh Lewis.

However, Banner and Patrick Hannon then began to cut loose as they shared a second wicket stand worth 115 runs.

Hannon scored 26 but he was then stumped by Neal Williams off the bowling of Matthew Lewis.

Banner hit seven fours and five sixes as he made his way to a score of 97 but he was unlucky to miss out on a century as he was bowled by Matthew Lewis.

The same bowler then had Luke Ryan stumped by Williams as Neyland’s second innings came to a close with the score on 152-4.

That set Cresselly 172 to win the game and they started well with Williams hitting three boundaries in the first over.

However, he was bowled by Nathan Banner on a score of 15 and Mike Venables was bowled by Gary Lloyd.

Banner struck again as he had Scott Arthur caught by Callum Woods and Lloyd then got his second as he had Lyn Richards caught by Lewis Page.

That left Cresselly on 47-4 and staring at a big defeat but Simon Cole and Steffan Jenkins had other ideas.

They shared 76 runs as they kept the scoreboard ticking over but Jenkins was caught by Banner off the bowling of Patrick Hannon on a score of 23.

Cresselly didn’t let that derail their chase as Matthew Lewis joined Cole at the crease.

They took Cresselly to within thirteen runs of their target with the final over being bowled by Jamie Smith.

Lewis took three runs off the first ball but the pair could only manage another three runs between them before the final ball. A six would have tied the game but Lewis missed as Neyland claimed victory.

There were two excellent knocks as Lewis finished unbeaten on 27 while Cole was unbeaten on 69 but it wasn’t to be Cresselly’s day.

It meant that Neyland won the Alec Colley Cup for the first time since 1991 with captain Paul Miller delighted to get his hands on the trophy.

It was an excellent final and a fitting tribute to John’s memory.

Sport

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.