SOLVA bounced back from their midweek defeat to beat Broad Haven 6-2 at Maes Y Mor on Saturday (Sep 7).

Skipper Josh Bland scored a brace, his first a sublime left foot volley from outside the box on 25 minutes, to put his side 3-0 ahead.

Man of the match Kieran Price opened the scoring inside the opening 5 minutes with a direct free kick from the arc of the penalty box, veteran forward Matthew Price setting up Lee Dinmore to double the score line ten minutes later.

Broad Haven regrouped from the Solva onslaught and scored two goals in quick succession on the half hour mark, industrious midfielder Sam Barton crisply striking the first after good work by Mathew Grainger and skipper Ashley Bladen drifted seamlessly into the action from the right wing to score the second.

Chris Basset unluckily put the ball into his own net to put the home side 4-2 ahead, after a rebound off goalkeeper James Llewellyn following pinball in the visitors penalty box five minutes before the half time whistle blown by referee Jonathan Twigg.

The second half saw both teams make changes as the game saw end to end action, Llewellyn and his counter part Nick Mendoza-Connell called open as the last line of defence by their respective teams. Bland scored his second after good work from Finn Isles on 75 minutes before Isles put himself on the scoresheet with an assist from veteran substitute Joe Shaw.

The result puts Solva in fourth position in the table, 3 points off the top spot ahead of their trip to Monkton Lane to take on the Swifts reserves next weekend. Broad Haven find themselves rooted in the relegation zone on one point, where they will be looking for a touch of wizardly magic ahead of their visit to the Sports Village to take on Merlins Bridge Reserves.

SOLVA AFC has been left reeling after vandals targeted the club’s junior football pitches, causing significant damage to all of the goals. The incident, which occurred overnight, has prompted the club to issue a public appeal for information and left the local community outraged.

The damage was discovered on the pitches near the road, where the goals for the junior teams had been vandalised. The club quickly took to social media to alert the public and to encourage anyone with information to come forward, using police reference DP-20240907-163.

Shaun Barcoe, a local resident, expressed his frustration on the club’s post, highlighting that similar incidents have happened at other local football clubs, including Milford Athletic FC. He noted that although catching the culprit may not undo the damage, he hoped the club could resolve the situation swiftly.

Many other community members shared their disappointment and anger. Heidi Holland, a dedicated volunteer, expressed her sadness, noting how much effort volunteers put into creating a welcoming environment for children and young people. She urged the responsible party to come forward and offer to cover the costs of the damage, so the junior teams wouldn’t suffer due to “a random act of silliness.”

Further concern was raised by local resident Nicola Schoenenberger, who reported seeing police near the football club around 2am with searchlights and a drone. This information was passed on to the authorities, who are actively investigating the incident.

Susan Williams, another local, called the act “spiteful,” expressing her sadness that the children who enjoy playing football are being affected by such mindless vandalism. Others, like Luke Phillips, were hopeful that the shop’s CCTV footage would help identify the individuals responsible.

The police are currently reviewing the evidence, and Solva A.F.C. is urging anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area to come forward. The community remains hopeful that those responsible will be caught and held accountable for their actions.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police or reach out to club officials directly.

For further details or to report any information related to this incident, please contact the police using reference number DP-20240907-163

REIGNING champions Goodwick United came away with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over a spirited Pennar Robins side at Bush Camp Playing Fields, in what proved to be a pulsating early-season encounter in the Manderwood Pembrokeshire League Division One.

On a fine day for football, with both sets of supporters turning out in strong numbers, Pennar Robins were brimming with confidence as they aimed to take down the champions. The match began with a minute’s silence in memory of the late Brian Hawkins, respectfully observed by all in attendance.

From the outset, Pennar came out with real intent, catching Goodwick off guard. Under the astute leadership of manager Craig Butland, Pennar’s tactics appeared spot on, with skipper Connor Roberts, Jimmy Wilkes, and the lively Ben Adams controlling the midfield battle. Ross Jones, meanwhile, was in commanding form at the back, keeping the Goodwick forwards at bay in the early exchanges.

Despite Pennar’s early dominance, it was the visitors who struck first against the run of play. Goodwick captain Scott Delaney pounced with a clinical finish, leaving Pennar stunned and giving Goodwick a crucial lead. For a period, the champions looked comfortable, with Jake Smith putting in a commanding display in midfield, orchestrating play almost at will.

However, Pennar refused to be cowed and soon regained their composure, pressing hard for an equaliser. As the half-time whistle blew, Pennar had Goodwick on the back foot, with Chris O’Sullivan, the Goodwick manager, venting his frustrations to referee Martin Jones as the sides headed for the break.

The second half saw Pennar continue their dominance in possession, as they pushed relentlessly for a leveller. However, Goodwick’s goalkeeper Nick Jones stood tall, relieving the pressure with a series of long clearances, often finding the reliable Will Haworth and man-of-the-match Jake Smith, who worked tirelessly to maintain control.

The match turned dramatic in the 70th minute when tempers flared on the pitch. Goodwick manager Chris O’Sullivan was sent off after storming onto the field to protest a decision, while striker Dalling was shown a ten-minute sin-bin, reducing the visitors to ten men temporarily. Sensing an opportunity, Pennar laid siege to the Goodwick goal, but the champions’ defence held firm under immense pressure.

As Dalling rejoined the fray, Goodwick focused on seeing out the result, using game management tactics to frustrate the home side. With the clock ticking down, Pennar’s captain Connor Roberts, in a moment of frustration, brought down a Goodwick player in the box, and Rhys Jones coolly dispatched the resulting penalty with the final kick of the match to seal a 2-0 win for the visitors.

In a match full of intensity, passion, and no small amount of controversy, Pennar Robins can count themselves unlucky not to have come away with something after such a spirited performance. Nonetheless, their display offers plenty of promise for the season ahead. The match was, however, somewhat marred by abuse directed at the referee—a worrying trend in grassroots football at a time when match officials are increasingly in short supply.

As for Goodwick, their resilience and ability to grind out results like this suggests they remain the team to beat this season. All signs point to a classic campaign in the Manderwood Pembrokeshire League Division One!