Sport
Neyland back on top after excellent chase

NEYLAND moved back to the top of the Division 1 table on Saturday (July 17) as they beat Haverfordwest by four wickets.
Their result gave them the maximum 20 points while rivals Lawrenny picked up two points less in their win over Saundersfoot.
Haverfordwest won the toss and batted first and saw two of their batsmen reach half centuries before being bowled 227 with two balls of their innings to spare.
The home side removed Ben Field early on as he was caught by Henry Durrant off the bowling of Nathan Banner.
James Marchant and Mikey Jones shared 31 runs for the second wicket but Marchant was then trapped leg before by Ross Hardy.
Jones and Dai Davies added another 33 runs for the third wicket before Jones was caught and bowled by Andrew Miller on a score of 42.
Davies was joined by Danny Potter and the pair shared the best stand of the innings worth 73 runs.
Davies was the first to reach his half century but he was then trapped leg before by Banner on a score of 52.
Archie Thomas also fell to the bowling of Banner when he was caught by Andrew Miller as Town slipped to 166-5.
Potter then reached his half century and went on to reach 63, with eight fours, before he was run out by Miller.
Ashley James hit three fours and a six in his score of 24 from 13 balls but he was then bowled by Henry Durrant.
Brad McDermott-Jenkins bowled Jack Scriven on a score of 14 before Durrant removed Danny Dewstowe and Johnny White.
That set Neyland a target of 228 to win the game but they lost Gregg Miller early on when he was caught by White off the bowling of Ashley James.
Nick Koomen scored 16 before he was trapped leg before by Archie Thomas and when Nathan Banner was caught by Jack Scriven off the bowling of Thomas, Neyland had slipped to 61-3.
However, Ashley Sutton and Ross Hardy saw the visitors to within touching distance of their target with a stand of 141.
Hardy hit eleven fours and four sixes in his score of 97 from 64 balls before he was caught by Thomas off the bowling of White.
Ashley Sutton hit nine fours and a six in his score of 75 but he was caught by Thomas off the bowling of James Marchant.
McDermott-Jenkins scored 19 before he was caught by Thomas off the bowling of Marchant as Town began to hit back.
Sean Hannon found the ropes as he finished unbeaten on 4 to see Neyland to victory.
Sport
East Williamston maintain lead as Week 20 results confirmed

THE LATEST results from last week’s league fixtures saw Kilgetty secure a 7-3 victory over Llanteg, while Carew dominated Badgers with an 8-2 win. Cosheston delivered a strong performance, beating Lamphey 9-1, and St Twynnells claimed an 8-2 win over St Johns. East Williamston had a bye, while the match between Hundleton and Reynalton was postponed.
Current League Standings (Week 20)
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Williamston | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 267 | 135 |
Carew | 17 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 104 | 98 |
Cosheston | 17 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 55 | 93 |
St Johns | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 57 | 90 |
Llanteg | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | -54 | 84 |
Hundleton | 17 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 57 | 83 |
Reynalton | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 83 |
Badgers | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | -15 | 75 |
St Twynnells | 17 | 6 | 1 | 10 | -111 | 74 |
Kilgetty | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | -175 | 58 |
Lamphey | 17 | 5 | 0 | 12 | -132 | 57 |
Meanwhile, the weekend’s triples tournament had to be abandoned after the round-robin stage due to an accident involving Nev Ruff of Badgers. The knockout round will be rescheduled, with the league committee extending their best wishes to Nev for a speedy and full recovery.
News
Local MP completes his first Haverfordwest Parkrun

HAVERFORDWEST Parkrun number 312 took place on Saturday (Mar 15) at the Racecourse, with 80 participants crossing the finish line—among them, Henry Tufnell MP, who completed his first parkrun.
The MP recorded a time of 18 minutes and 14 seconds at the free weekly 5k community event. His wife, Poppy, also took part, volunteering for the first time as one of 15 helpers who ensure the event runs smoothly under the parkrun UK umbrella.
The event, which has now seen 24,536 finishers, takes place every Saturday at 9:00am. Organisers expressed gratitude to Haverfordwest Racecourse Public Park Trust for their continued support in hosting the event and to Haverfordwest Cricket Club for providing toilet facilities for participants each week.
News
Future of Wales’ last Greyhound track uncertain amid ban proposal

THE VALLEY Greyhound Stadium in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, the last remaining greyhound racing track in Wales, faces an uncertain future following the Welsh Government’s proposal to outlaw the sport.
Greyhound racing has been a part of Welsh sporting history for nearly a century, with the first races taking place on April 7, 1928. At its peak, the sport drew tens of thousands of spectators, with the Welsh White City Stadium in Cardiff once attracting crowds of 25,000. The Valley Greyhound Stadium itself opened in 1976 and has undergone significant renovations over the years, including the addition of an indoor lounge and licensed bar in 2011. The stadium was granted a licence by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) in August 2023, ensuring compliance with modern animal welfare and racing standards.

Welsh Government pushes for ban
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced on February 18, 2025, that the government intends to implement a ban on greyhound racing “as soon as practically possible.” He stated: “I believe that now is the right time to move to ban greyhound racing in Wales. We are proud to be the first nation in the UK to do this.”
The proposed ban follows increasing pressure from animal welfare groups and a government consultation that received 35,000 signatures supporting the end of the sport. Welfare concerns, including the risks of injury and post-racing care for retired dogs, have been key drivers behind the move.
Divided opinions on the proposal
The announcement has sparked widespread debate.
BVA President Dr. Elizabeth Mullineaux commented: “When it comes to the use of animals in sport, as a society we have a collective responsibility to ensure that the animals involved receive the highest standards of welfare.
“It’s also essential that policy decisions on this issue are led by evidence and BVA’s ‘Animals in Performance Sport’ working group is looking closely at the issue, examining the evidence to ensure a comprehensive and considered view.
“The working group is expected to report later this year.”
However, industry representatives and racing enthusiasts argue that the decision is not grounded in sufficient evidence. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has strongly opposed the move, with Chairman Jeremy Cooper stating: “This decision has been heavily influenced by animal rights activists. Our industry has made significant strides in ensuring the welfare of greyhounds.”
Essex businessman Dave Barclay, who has owned the Valley Greyhound Stadium since November 2021, is understood to be seeking legal advice in light of the government’s plans.
Impact on local economy and sport
If the ban is enacted, Wales would become the first UK nation to outlaw greyhound racing, leaving only 18 tracks operational in the rest of the country following the closure of Crayford Stadium in January. The closure of the Valley Greyhound Stadium is expected to result in the loss of approximately 30 jobs and leave a void in the local sporting community.
Former England and British and Irish Lions rugby player Mike Burton, now a greyhound trainer, expressed disappointment: “I come to Wales because they are good people, they are all grafters and love the sport. This is a huge loss.”
Uncertain future for greyhound racing in Wales
Despite the outcry from the industry, the Welsh Government remains committed to phasing out the sport. The exact timeline for implementation is unclear, but with the next Senedd election set for May 2026, the ban could be in place before then.
As the debate continues, stakeholders on both sides await further details on the government’s plan, including support measures for affected workers and provisions for the welfare of retired racing greyhounds. For now, the final bend looms for Wales’ last greyhound track, and its future remains uncertain.
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