Sport

Narberth beaten by last gasp try

Published

2 years ago

September 19, 2022

ON Saturday (Sept 17) Narberth hosted Bargoed, last season’s top of the table side, and a fiercely contested match was expected and what a classic it turned out to be watched by a large and enthusiastic crowd.

After ten minutes Narberth were first to score when after a charging run from Prop Bradley Davies the ball was spread wide to centre Hedd Nicholas who cut inside his opposite number and passed to his supporting co centre Ilan Phillips who scored near the posts. Full back Nick Gale converted (7-0).

Narberth suffered two early setbacks with Prop Lewis Davies pulling a hamstring in a scrum and Nick Gale having to leave the field with a head injury. The respective replacements were Sean Janes and Ashley Sutton.

The home team then gave away a penalty in front of the posts which the Bargoed centre kicked to make the score 7-3.

Shortly afterwards Bargoed had a lineout five metres from the Otters line and after a driving maul the ball was spread wide to their right wing who scored in the corner. The try went unconverted (7-8). Narberth were then awarded a penalty which fly half Jonathan Rogers kicked to push the home team in front again (10-8).

A few loose kicks out of defence by the Otters saw Bargoed counterattack and eventually their second row scored close to the posts and the try was converted to give Bargoed the lead again (10-15).

Just before halftime Narberth nearly scored again when a pass from wing Josh Davies to centre Nicholas ten metres from the try line was adjudged to be forward.

After the break the Otters were encamped for long periods inside the Bargoed 22 metre line but just couldn’t break down the visitors’ solid defence.

Narberth 2^nd Row Alex Jenkins looked to have ripped the ball from a Bargoed defender and touch down over the try line, but the referee was unsighted, and the chance was lost. Then slightly against the run of play kicked a further penalty to stretch the lead to 10-18.

Narberth refused to give up and a dazzling run by Sutton saw him outpace the defence, step inside the opposing fullback and score a great try in the clubhouse corner which was not converted (15-18).

Almost immediately Bargoed responded with a further penalty to again stretch the lead to six points (15-21).

Bargoed got back down the field and were pressing near the Otters try line when a long pass was intercepted by Narberth wing Jordan Roberts who sprinted the length of the field only to be collared by the Bargoed winger one metre from the try line.

Both players fell to the ground and the referee immediately awarded a penalty try for a high tackle to put the Otters in front 22-21. In injury time Rogers kicked a further penalty to stretch the lead to 25-21.

Narberth supporters were praying for the final whistle to blow but the referee played on until the twelfth minute of injury time when Bargoed launched a last ditch attack.

Their centre was tackled right beneath the grandstand and 95% of those watching (including Bargoed supporters) thought the ball had gone forward from his grasp in the tackle.

Narberth players stopped, expecting the whistle to blow, but the Bargoed wing picked up the ball and started trotting towards the Narberth posts glancing at the referee who waved play on and the visitors scored a converted try with the last play of the game to win the match 25-28.

A very disappointing result for the Otters after all their hard work against one of the league’s top teams but they couldn’t be faulted for their effort and commitment throughout the match.

Photo courtesy of Frederick Thomas

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South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association results

Published

16 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Herald Sport

THE RESULTS of the catch-up games played over the Christmas/New Year period are as follows:

Llanteg 10 – 0 Hundleton
Reynalton 8 – 2 Badgers
Cosheston 10 – 0 St Twynnells

Updated League Table

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	10	9	0	1	127	74
Carew	10	7	1	2	86	65
Reynalton	11	7	0	4	31	62
Hundleton	11	6	0	5	65	60
St Johns	10	7	0	3	69	58
Cosheston	11	6	0	5	33	54
Llanteg	9	3	0	6	-22	44
St Twynnells	11	3	0	8	-108	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	36	40
Kilgetty	10	3	0	7	-85	40
Lamphey	10	1	0	9	-155	22

Singles tournament success

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the singles tournament this weekend. After a competitive Round Robin in the morning, players were divided into red and blue streams for the afternoon knockout stages.

Red Stream Winner: Simon Hall (Reynalton)
- Runner-up: Andrew Maclean (East Williamston)
Blue Stream Winner: Margaret Richards (Reynalton)
- Runner-up: Chris Clarkson (Lamphey)

Upcoming event

The next tournament will be the Doubles, held at Heatherton on Saturday, 15th February. Entry forms will be distributed shortly once details are finalized.

Sport

Pembrokeshire Second Division Match Report – January 11, 2025

Published

17 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Herald Sport

A THILLING weekend of football in Pembrokeshire’s Second Division delivered key results that tightened the race for promotion and intensified the relegation battle.

Narberth 2-0 Hakin United II

Narberth bolstered their title aspirations with a commanding 2-0 victory over league leaders Hakin United II. Brychan David broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, and Jordan Williams secured the win with a second goal. The result leaves Narberth just two points behind Hakin in a hotly contested title race.

Merlins Bridge II 0-2 Fishguard Sports

Fishguard Sports continued their march towards a top-three finish, claiming a vital 2-0 win away at Merlins Bridge II. Ieuan Llewellyn coolly converted a penalty to give Fishguard the lead, while Luke Thomas added a second to seal the victory. With games in hand, Fishguard remain firmly in contention at the top end of the table.

Lawrenny 1-2 Neyland

Neyland edged a close contest against Lawrenny with a 2-1 win that keeps their top-half ambitions alive. Thomas Cole scored for the home side, but goals from Aidan Rees and Jack John secured all three points for Neyland in a hard-fought encounter.

Monkton Swifts II 1-7 Johnston

Johnston produced a dominant performance, thrashing Monkton Swifts II 7-1. Ryan Doyle netted twice, with further goals from Steve Allen, James Larsen, Marcus Allen, Callum Rees, and Joey George. The emphatic victory consolidates Johnston’s strong campaign, while Monkton Swifts II remain perilously close to the relegation zone.

Carew II 3-3 Solva

Carew II and Solva played out a dramatic 3-3 draw in a match filled with excitement. George Davies scored twice for Carew, with Charlie Perkins also on target. Solva responded with two goals from Josh Bland and an own goal that levelled the match. Both sides remain stuck in mid-table, with the result doing little to ease their relegation concerns.

Sport

Haverfordwest cruise to comfortable 33-0 win over Cefneithin

Published

17 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Haverfordwest 33 – Cefneithin 0

HAVERFORDWEST made a strong return to league action at Pembroke Road with a convincing 33-0 victory over bottom-placed Cefneithin. Despite a six-week absence from competitive rugby for the visitors, both sides put in a commendable effort to play expansive rugby in challenging conditions.

The Blues wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring within the first minute of the match. After receiving the ball around halfway, centre Jack Evans made a powerful break, evading defenders and linking up with supporting players. The move culminated with scrum-half Liam Eaton receiving the ball and passing to outside-half Jack Codd, who slotted over the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

Haverfordwest’s forwards controlled the set-pieces, but their attempts to run the ball often resulted in knock-ons, as they looked to flick passes rather than build consistent phases. Cefneithin, on the other hand, showed more composure in their play, particularly through their half-backs Jack Willingham and Aled Thomas, and their back row of Raymond, Roberts, and Dickie.

The Blues’ midfield duo of Jack Evans and Matty Phillips posed constant threats, and it wasn’t long before they added to their tally. In the 24th minute, after some powerful carries from Jack Clancy, Jake Evans, Josh Young, and captain Karl Busch, Codd orchestrated a move that saw Evans slice through the Cefneithin defence to score under the posts. Codd converted the try, albeit off the upright, to make it 14-0.

Haverfordwest continued to press, but missed opportunities came in the form of a line-out throw-in that went crooked after Codd had kicked them close to the Cefneithin try line. However, the Blues weren’t to be denied, and soon after, another well-placed diagonal kick to the corner resulted in a fumble from the Cefneithin defence, allowing winger George Hopkins to pounce and dive over the line. Codd added the conversion from the touchline to give Haverfordwest a commanding 21-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw the Blues continue their dominance. The bonus-point try came in style when winger Guy Barrons was involved in a quick-moving attack. Quick hands among the forwards, including Dan Berry and Tom Carrington, created space for full-back Owain Roberts to break through and score under the posts. Codd’s simple conversion extended the lead further.

By this stage, Cefneithin had opted for uncontested scrums due to injuries, but the Blues kept pushing forward. A late fifth try came courtesy of back rower Mikey Griffiths, who dotted down after a determined run. Although the try was unconverted, Griffiths was later named man of the match for his tireless performance.

With this win, Haverfordwest maintain their strong position in the league, while Cefneithin will look to regroup after a challenging return to action.