Sport
Neyland win Alec Colley thriller
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
Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League – Division 1: Match reports
Goodwick United 3–0 Merlins Bridge
League leaders Goodwick United claimed a commanding 3–0 victory over Merlins Bridge at the Pembrokeshire Sports Village. Rhys Jones broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with a spectacular 25-yard free kick. An own goal by Nick Squire early in the second half doubled the advantage, and Jones sealed the win with a stoppage-time strike. The result keeps Goodwick four points clear at the top as they push to retain their title.
Carew 16–0 Herbrandston
Carew delivered a record-breaking performance, thrashing Herbrandston 16–0 at the Gerald Hicks Memorial Ground. James Hinchliffe led the charge with six goals, supported by Shaun Whitfield’s rapid hat-trick. George Waters contributed four goals, Gareth Lewis added two, and Leon Davies completed the rout. The emphatic win lifted Carew out of the relegation zone, while Herbrandston remains firmly at the bottom of the table.
Clarbeston Road 5–2 St Ishmaels
Clarbeston Road cruised to a 5–2 victory over St Ishmaels at Knock Field. Ben John missed an early penalty for Clarbeston but redeemed himself by assisting Jake Wesley’s equaliser. Laurie Haworth and Dan Rees found the net, with Wesley adding a second to complete the scoring for Clarbeston. St Ishmaels’ captain Brennan Devonald netted twice, but his side dropped into the relegation zone.
Monkton Swifts 1–4 Hakin United
Hakin United strengthened their title challenge with a 4–1 win over Monkton Swifts. Dylan Davies put Monkton ahead early, but Hakin responded through Ryan Wilson and Mark Jones to take a 2–1 lead into halftime. Jay Kilby scored twice in the second half, sealing a vital away win for the Vikings.
Milford United 2–2 Pennar Robins
Milford United and Pennar Robins played out an entertaining 2–2 draw at Marble Hall. Liam Davies gave Milford the lead, but Jamie Wilkes equalised for Pennar. Dan James then put Pennar ahead, only for Leon Davies to bring Milford level again. Milford’s Sam Davies was sent off late, but neither side could find a winner in the closing stages.
Tenby 2–3 Kilgetty
Kilgetty staged a thrilling comeback to defeat derby rivals Tenby 3–2 at the Clicketts. Joe Leahy opened the scoring for Tenby, with Jordan Gorman quickly levelling for Kilgetty. Scott Ferney restored Tenby’s lead before halftime. However, Kilgetty turned the tide in the final ten minutes as Lloyd Hughes equalised, and captain Richard Cope struck the decisive winner to secure a dramatic victory.
Sport
Local rugby action: Thrills, wins, and tough battles across divisions
Crymych 19 – Llanelli Wanderers 33
Llanelli Wanderers showcased their title aspirations with a decisive bonus-point victory over Crymych. Despite a spirited effort from the Preseli Men, who trailed 12-18 at halftime, they couldn’t capitalize on second-half opportunities.
Crymych’s hooker Lee Griffiths scored two tries in the first half, and a late penalty try offered some consolation. The Wanderers, under Sean Gale’s guidance, proved dominant with tries from Rhydian Morgan, Lewis Jones, Rhodri Owens, and Sam Icke. Jones contributed two conversions and three penalties, keeping the Wanderers in contention at the top of the table. Crymych remain in a relegation battle.
Division One (West)
Pontarddulais 17 – Tenby United 26
Tenby United maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard-earned seventh victory of the season, defeating a determined Pontarddulais side. Though missing a bonus point, the disciplined Seasiders secured a valuable win.
Lloyd Thomas played a pivotal role, kicking four penalties and converting tries by Gwion Jones and Rob Luly. Acting skipper Jones shone with an individual effort. Pontarddulais responded with tries from Ethan Miles, Lewis Edwards, and Iwan Evans. Tenby stay second in the league with a game in hand over leaders Aberystwyth.
Division Two (West)
Whitland 13 – Fishguard & Goodwick 10
A late Harry Fuller penalty sealed Whitland’s narrow victory in a fiercely contested clash with Fishguard and Goodwick. The Seagulls led 7-3 at halftime after Ben John’s converted try answered Johnny Thomas’s penalty.
Rhys Nicholas turned the game in Whitland’s favor with a crucial intercept try, converted by Thomas. Although Mark Jones briefly leveled the scores, Fuller’s decisive penalty secured Whitland’s fourth win of the season.
Carmarthen Athletic 23 – Milford Haven 10
Carmarthen Athletic overturned a halftime deficit to claim a solid home win over Milford Haven. The Mariners led 10-6 at the break, thanks to Robbie Jones’s converted try and a James Trueman penalty.
The Athletic surged back with 17 unanswered points, including tries from Gethin Phillips, Morgan Morse, and Deian Morgan. Zak Williams added the conversions and penalties to seal the victory. Milford missed out on a losing bonus point in their fourth defeat of the season.
Division Three (West)
Cefneithin 16 – Cardigan 29
Cardigan continued their strong form with a bonus-point win over Cefneithin. The Teifisiders led 15-6 at halftime, with Marcus Castle and Shaun Leonard crossing the try line. Leonard was instrumental, adding another try and three conversions.
John Lumb and Jack Taylor scored second-half tries as Cardigan capitalized on excellent possession. Cefneithin fought back with a try by Jonathan Morgan and three penalties from Carwyn Evans but fell short.
Division Four (West)
Llanybydder 17 – Neyland 43
Neyland dazzled with a six-try bonus-point victory over Llanybydder. Leading 24-5 at halftime, the All Blacks saw tries from Owain Evans, Matthew Coles, Owen Hamer, and skipper Georghe Williams.
Young winger Josh Watts added two second-half tries. Llanybydder responded with tries from Jake Evans, Dan Davies, and Dan Jones, converted by Ethan Sion Mathias, but Neyland’s dominance was unshaken as they returned to the top of the table.
Teirw Crymych 17 – St Davids 17
Teirw Crymych and St Davids battled to a draw in a thrilling encounter. The Bulls dominated early, building a 14-0 lead with tries from George Plummer and Trystan Griffiths, both converted by Adam Phillips.
St Davids stormed back with tries by Will James and Tom Clarke, before George Raymond’s late try leveled the scores. The conversion went wide, leaving both teams to share the points.
Dreigiau Emlyn 14 – Narberth Athletic 3
Narberth Athletic’s unbeaten run ended at Ddol Wiber as Dreigiau Emlyn’s forward strength secured a gritty win. A single forward-driven try and three penalties proved enough for the Dragons.
Athletic struggled to convert pressure into points, their only score coming from a Shane Rossiter penalty. The Dragons celebrated their third victory of the season.
Llangwm 17 – Pembroke 22
In a heated Division Four West derby, Pembroke edged out Llangwm in the first leg of the Palmer Cup at Pill Parks. The Scarlets held firm against a late surge to secure the win.
Llangwm opened strongly, with James Morgan and Dan Richards scoring tries, both converted by Harry Makepeace. Pembroke’s forwards turned the tide, with Jamie Brayford (2), Robin Badham, and Josh Greenwood crossing the line. Despite Llangwm’s late efforts, Pembroke extended their winning streak to three matches.
Sport
Pembrokeshire Vikings triumph over Port Talbot panthers
PEMBROKESHIRE VIKINGS faced a tough challenge against the formidable Port Talbot Panthers at Milford Haven RFC on Sunday afternoon. In a fiercely contested battle, the Vikings emerged as worthy winners with a final score of 33-17.
The Vikings’ try scorers included Dave Roberts, Karl Bate, Shaun Treadwell, Richard Williams, and Jack Elliott. Callum Power added to the scoreboard with four successful conversions. Karl Bate’s standout performance earned him the Man of the Match award.
A special mention goes to Sean Phillips, who made a welcome return to the team. Phillips delivered a brilliant 30-metre line break, unselfishly passing the ball to Dave Roberts, who crossed under the posts. His contribution exemplified the team spirit that defines the Vikings.
Matches between the Vikings and the Panthers are always marked by fierce rivalry, but also by strong friendships forged on and off the field. The team eagerly anticipates the return fixture in 2025.
The Vikings also extended their gratitude to Barry from Pembrokeshire College, a loyal supporter of the team. Additionally, thanks were given to sponsors Austwel LTD, Hedley Asset Management, and The Pembrokeshire Herald for their ongoing support.
Next match: A historic showdown
This Saturday, the Pembrokeshire Vikings will travel to Llandaff RFC to make history in a match against Rygbi Senedd Cymru. The team looks forward to another thrilling encounter as they continue their successful season.
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