Sport

Otters remain unbeaten after beating Trebanos

Published

3 years ago

September 13, 2021

Report by Club Chairman Rob Lewis

IN Saturday’s (Sept 11) Championship match Narberth’s First Team entertained visitors Trebanos in what is always a free flowing and close encounter.

After only five minutes Narberth were first on the score board. When a penalty was awarded to the home side for the visitors being offside at a ruck winger Nick Gale kicked the ball close to Trebanos’ 22 metre line. From the lineout the Otters set up a rolling maul and drove towards the visitors try line. Trebanos conceded a penalty and Gale again kicked for the corner. From the lineout the Otters again drove towards the visitors try line and Prop Tom Kaijaks powered over to score. Nick Gale kicked the conversion (7 -0).

Shortly afterwards a missed tackle in midfield saw Trebanos fly half Tom Dew break through and kick ahead. Fortunately, home fly half Ashley Sutton got to the ball first and put in a relieving kick downfield to avert a near score for the visitors.

Ten minutes later Trebanos again infringed at a breakdown and Narberth were awarded a penalty, but Gale narrowly missed the kick from about 40 metres out.

Narberth continued to attack with driving runs up field by their lively forwards but couldn’t break the visitors’ solid defence.

Then after quick ball from a lineout the ball spread across the Narberth back division and centre Jake Jenkins made a lovely outside break. He attempted to pass to his supporting winger Dafydd Pritchard but unfortunately the Trebanos winger got his hands on the ball first to avert a certain try.

However, the ball was carried over the Trebanos line resulting in a Narberth five metre scrum. The Otters continued to threaten the visitors’ line for a good ten minutes but just couldn’t manage to break down the Trebanos defence.

Then, from yet another attacking ruck the ball was spun wide to flanker Guto Davies who went over in the corner only for the referee to adjudge that there had been a forward pass. Narberth continued to have most of the possession and from a lineout on the Trebanos 22 metre line Narberth scrum half Rhys Lane made a decisive break. When tackled, the ball was quickly recycled, and hooker Rhodri Owens dashed down the blindside of the ensuing ruck and gave a lovely pass to winger Pritchard who scored in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful (12–0).

Within five minutes Trebanos were back on the attack and won a lineout on the Otters 22 metre line. They attempted to set up a rolling maul but when this failed, they moved the ball out and a fine angled run saw the Trebanos centre break through the Narberth defence and score near to the posts. Fly half Dew converted making the score (12–7).

This lifted the Trebanos team, and they spent some time in possession attacking the Otters line but excellent defence by the Narberth team kept them from scoring.

Eventually, however, the Otters were penalised for offside at a ruck and Dew was again successful with the kick (12–10). Then a further infringement at a ruck by the Trebanos hooker resulted in Narberth being awarded a penalty on the visitors ten metre line and this was kicked successfully by winger Gale to make the score 15–10.

Almost from the restart at a ruck on the Otters 22 metre line the Trebanos Second Row deliberately elbowed a Narberth forward with a direct blow to the head. The referee had no hesitation in issuing a red card reducing the visitors to 14 men for the rest of the game.

As often happens, this galvanised the Trebanos team and with some scintillating runs by Dew they were once again stretching the Narberth defence. Eventually Trebanos were awarded a penalty in front of the posts which Dew again kicked to bring the score at half time to 15–13.

Shortly after the restart Narberth managed to increase their lead once again. From a scrum the ball was moved wide to winger Gale who raced upfield only to be tackled close to the visitors try line. A series of scrums followed where the Otters held the ascendancy and eventually the ball was switched to the blind side of a ruck where captain and No.6 Richie Rees scored in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful (20–13).

Almost from the kick-off Narberth scored again. A relieving kick upfield saw the Trebanos full back drop the ball and it fell into the hands of Rees. He gave a quick pass to No.8 Steff Phillips who charged upfield and then passed to supporting flanker Guto Davies who was tackled just short of the visitors try line. From the resulting ruck the ball was quickly passed out wide and winger Dafydd Pritchard beat his opposite number with a great change of pace to score in the corner. The try went unconverted (25–13).

Narberth then made several changes with Rhys Williams replacing Lock Ryan Banner, Tom Clarke replacing hooker Rhodri Owens and Adam Thomas replacing Prop Bradley Davies.

Shortly afterwards Trebanos kicked a penalty for a Narberth infringement at a breakdown to narrow the score to 25–16.

Narberth once again got back on the attack and forward drives by Tom Kaijaks and Richie Rees took the Otters to within five metres of the Trebanos try line where they were awarded a scrum. At this point fly half Ashley Sutton was replaced by Jonathan Rogers.

The Narberth pack drove Trebanos back towards their line and Scrum Half Rhys Lane picked up the ball and looked to have grounded the ball over the line, but the referee was unsighted and ruled that he had been held up over the line.

Narberth then made their final change replacing Lane with George MacDonald. With very little time left Narberth were again pressing very close to the Trebanos try line and were awarded a scrum. No.8 Steff Phillips picked the ball up and went to the blindside and passed to the supporting MacDonald who unfortunately was adjudged to have stepped into touch before crossing the try line.

Trebanos continued to throw everything into attack to try and gain a losing bonus point, but the Otters defence held firm, and the game came to a close with the score remaining at 25–16.

In the Clubhouse after the game Match Sponsor Graham Searle awarded the Man of the Match to captain Richard Rees.

Sport

Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League – Division 1: Match reports

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Herald Sport

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

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Herald Sport

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

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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.