Sport

Scarlets’ late surge sees off Ospreys

Published

4 years ago

January 7, 2021

Luke Sinclair

Pro-14 Conference B

Ospreys 14 – Scarlets 16

A LATE try from Angus O’Brien secured the derby day spoils in a nail-biting Guinness PRO14 Boxing Day clash against the Ospreys.
The Ospreys, playing as the official ‘home’ team at Parc y Scarlets, had led for the majority of a tense contest.
But with 71 minutes on the clock, a superb off-load from replacement Blade Thomson paved the way for full-back O’Brien to slice through and dive over for the crucial score.
Man of the match Dan Jones added the conversion to put the Scarlets in front for the first time and the West Walians were able to finish the match on the front foot to claim the annual festive bragging rights and a crucial win to keep them in the hunt in the Conference B standings.
O’Brien hadn’t been named in the original match-day 23, but was brought in at the 11th hour as a replacement for Johnny McNicholl.
In blustery conditions, Scarlets enjoyed the early pressure, but despite hammering away at the Ospreys line were unable to come away with any points.
Instead, it was the Ospreys who were first on the board after 14 minutes through the boot of fly-half Stephen Myler.
The opening quarter was proving a cagey affair with both sides unable to get any momentum going.
A moment of individual brilliance from scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams, who dummied and sprinted clear from 40 metres, extended the Ospreys’ lead on 22 minutes, but the Scarlets’ response was swift with Jones landing a penalty straight from the kick-off.
Jones hit the upright with another attempt, then a pin-point cross-field kick from Steff Hughes just evaded the grasp of wing Steff Evans with the line at his mercy.
A powerful scrum on the stroke of half-time led to a long-range penalty chance, but O’Brien’s strike drifted wide with the Ospreys going in ahead 8-3 at the break.
Myler extended his side’s lead early in the second half, but Jones kept Scarlets in it with his kicking out of hand and off the floor.
Two more penalties from the Carmarthen fly-half to one from Myler made it 14-9 going into the final 10 minutes.
Then the Scarlets struck.
With Thomson having a big impact off the bench, the back-rower plucked a ball out of the sky as the Scarlets surged forward. He was involved again soon after, producing a sublime pass to O’Brien who cut a great angle to the posts.
With only two points in it, the Scarlets showed their composure to make their way downfield and set up camp in ‘home’ territory for the final minutes, denying the Ospreys any chance to snatch the win.

Glenn Delaney reflected on the absence of fans from the stadium.

“You go back 12 months and there were 15,000 people here and I don’t think I have experienced anything like it. This place was electric.

“I say it every week, we are very fortunate to be in the position we are and we are only here by virtue of the supporters of this great club. We want the fans back here as soon as possible.

“Hopefully, they found a chance to shout at the TV screens, get involved and share the experience. The derby season is passionate, the only thing we are missing is the people. We must get the people back into the game, they would have loved the occasion.”

On the performance, while Glenn Delaney was ‘delighted’ with the win, he added: “There is plenty for us to work on. We stayed in the game and that’s what you have to do in a derby.

“There were a lot of things we weren’t happy about in terms of our skillsets and penalty count, we were very ill-disciplined and we need to correct that. We were putting pressure on ourselves. We were trying to play and we were quite close on a couple of occasions, a couple of pass-kicks almost went to hand.

“Probably not having a game for a week or so showed, our timing was a bit off; we have had a couple of disjointed weeks, we looked a bit rusty. I thought the Ospreys were excellent, put us under pressure and took their points well.”

Sport

Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston

Published

7 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Herbrandston 0 – St Ishmaels 6

BRENNAN DEVONALD delivered a masterclass as St Ishmaels thrashed Herbrandston 6-0, with the skipper leading from the front and scoring a stunning hat-trick. The comprehensive victory propels St Ishmaels to eighth in the league table, while Herbrandston remain rooted to the bottom without a single point.

The visitors asserted their dominance from the outset. Devonald opened the scoring in the 9th minute, latching onto a pinpoint assist from Owen Lawrence. He doubled their lead just before halftime in the 40th minute, again set up by Lawrence, giving St Ishmaels a comfortable cushion at the break.

St Ishmaels maintained their momentum in the second half, adding four more goals to cap off a stellar team performance. Adam Kingsbeer’s clever play set up Ieuan Hawkins for the third, before Tom Williams capitalised on another opportunity to make it 4-0. Devonald sealed his hat-trick in the 85th minute with an expertly taken goal, and Joel Mills added the finishing touch in the dying moments, courtesy of an assist from Sol Goodall.

Team line-ups

Herbrandston: Adrian Rees, Oliver Robinson, Ethan Chalker, Scott Findlay, Dean John (Captain), Harley Barrett, Gedion Hockin, Leon Whatling, Scott Gillespie, Cian Davenport. Subs: Leo Duncan, Jacob James, Nico Cockrell.

St Ishmaels: Owen Thomas, Sol Goodall, Owen Lawrence, Finley Armstrong, Brennan Devonald (Captain), Adam Kingsbeer, Ieuan Hawkins, Joel Mills, Tom Williams, Daniel Coe, Nathan Thomas. Subs: Max Howells, Tyler Sheil.

Sport

Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3

Published

7 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Goodwick United 7-0 Carew

Goodwick United put on a commanding performance with a 7-0 triumph over Carew. The home side proved too powerful for their opponents, with Rhys Dalling and Rhys Jones each bagging two goals. Matty Delaney, Will Haworth, and Daniel Bryce also got their names on the scoresheet. As one of Pembrokeshire’s top teams, Goodwick will aim to build on this dominant win as they progress to the next round.

Hakin United 13-0 Clydach Sports

Hakin United were in ruthless form as they dispatched Clydach Sports 13-0. Jack Britton led the charge with an impressive five-goal haul, while Liam Parks netted a hat-trick. Jack Griffiths, Jay Kilby, Kieran King, Justin Harding, and Mason Dolling all contributed to the comprehensive scoreline. Hakin, one of the premier teams in Pembrokeshire, will be keen to continue their pursuit of the cup after this emphatic victory.

Merlins Bridge 7-3 Treboeth United

Merlins Bridge secured a thrilling 7-3 victory over Treboeth United in an exciting encounter. Nathan Evans was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick, while Tom Jago, Jason Griffiths, Hayden Dimond, and Ashton Plunkett all found the back of the net. Treboeth’s Liam Manning, Cori Jones, and Matthew Colley fought valiantly but could not prevent the home side from taking the win. Merlins Bridge will be pleased with their attacking display and will look to build on this result.

Monkton Swifts 5-4 Clarbeston Road

In a dramatic local derby, Monkton Swifts edged out Clarbeston Road 5-4 in a high-scoring affair. Dylan Davies was the standout performer with four goals, and Liam Butland added another. Clarbeston Road fought hard with goals from Laurie Haworth, Matthew Davies, Greg Brown, and Ben John, but it was the Swifts who held on to secure the victory. Monkton will be happy to progress after such a closely contested match.

Neyland 1-2 Cwm Wanderers

Neyland were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Cwm Wanderers in a closely contested match. Ben Gale scored for Neyland, but goals from Joseff Shaw and Corey Raven-Sayce gave the visitors the edge. Despite a valiant effort from Neyland, Cwm Wanderers held firm to secure the win and advance to the next round.

Plough Colts 0-2 Pennar Robins

Pennar Robins comfortably saw off Plough Colts 2-0, with Kieran Smith and Jamie Wilkes scoring the goals. Pennar demonstrated their class and will look to carry this momentum forward into the next round.

Tenby 2-0 Blaen-y-Maes

Tenby continued their fine form with a 2-0 victory over Blaen-y-Maes. Sam Butler and Scott Ferney were on target for Tenby, who have been one of the most impressive sides this season. This win further cements Tenby’s status as one of the top contenders in the competition.

Analysis:

Pembrokeshire’s leading teams, Goodwick United and Hakin United, demonstrated their superiority with commanding wins, while Tenby showed their credentials with a solid 2-0 victory. With such dominant performances, Goodwick and Hakin are likely to be among the favourites to claim the title, with Tenby also emerging as a serious contender in this year’s West Wales Intermediate Cup.

Sport

Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory

Published

7 days ago

December 18, 2024

Herald Sport

Broad Haven 4-4 Solva

In an exhilarating, high-scoring encounter, Broad Haven played out a 4-4 draw with Solva. Marco Valentine netted twice for Broad Haven, with Owen Sheppard and Shane Howells also getting on the scoresheet. Solva responded through Josh Bland, who scored a hat-trick, and Lucas Price, ensuring the points were shared in this thrilling clash.

Camrose 1-3 Fishguard Sports

Fishguard Sports claimed a 3-1 victory over Camrose, with a clinical display of attacking play. Andrew John scored the only goal for Camrose, but Fishguard’s offensive strength proved overwhelming. Anthony Couzens, Luke Thomas, and Ieuan Llewellyn all found the net to guide their side to victory.

Carew II 0-2 Hakin United II

Hakin United II earned a solid 2-0 win over Carew II. Rowan Dixon and Tom Edmonds were the scorers for the visitors, with Carew struggling to break down Hakin’s defense. It was a well-executed performance that saw Hakin advance with all three points.

Johnston P-P Merlins Bridge II

The match between Johnston and Merlins Bridge II was postponed, with no further details available at the time of writing.

Lawrenny 1-6 Narberth

Narberth cruised to a commanding 6-1 victory over Lawrenny. Owen James scored the lone goal for Lawrenny, but Narberth’s attacking prowess was on full display as Steffan Williams scored twice, and Ashley Williams, Chris Brown, Conor Bowen, and Ryan Williams each found the back of the net in a comprehensive win.

Analysis:

The 14th December 2024 fixtures saw a blend of thrilling draws and dominant victories. Broad Haven and Solva shared the spoils in an action-packed 4-4 draw, while Fishguard Sports, Hakin United II, and Narberth all secured convincing wins. Narberth’s 6-1 triumph over Lawrenny was the standout result of the day, highlighting their attacking firepower.