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Clarby on the charge as Fox’s men impress once again

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Hakin United 1 – 4 Clarbeston Road

CLARBESTON ROAD got off to a flying start to 2024 with a hard fought victory over top of the table Hakin at a very sticky Obs Ground. Hakin would have been looking to get the victory that would keep them at the top of the table, and would have been looking to avenge the defeat against Clarby earlier in the season in the Senior Cup. Matthew Fox’s team have been impressing all season, the cup win we deemed as a ‘shock’, it would be unfair to label this result a shock, Hakin would have been well aware of the visitors quality before kick off, however were unable to stop them.

Hakin started the brighter without creating anything clear cut but were the team in the ascendancy for the opening exchanges. However it was Clarby who then grew into the game and started to get the ball down and play. It was a route one ball that broke the deadlock. A long kick upfield from Clarby keeper Mansell evaded the Hakin defence, and Laurie Howarth, against his former club, was on hand to cut inside from the left of the box and unleash an unstoppable shot into the top right stanchion of Aldred’s goal. Buoyed by the goal, Clarby were on the front foot and when Ben John, who caused trouble for the Hakin defence all game., was brought down 25 yards from goal, up stepped Matthew “Chicken” Davies and he smashed his effort goal bound through the crowded box and into the roof of the Hakin net for a two nil lead.

Hakin, however, soon got a goal that got them back in it. A free kick down the hosts right was swung to the back post, and with the ball only half headed clear, Jordan Richards was on hand to thump home a side foot volley into the top left corner. This gave Hakin the lift they needed and they began to build pressure looking for the equaliser.  Having some joy down the flanks, they then threw a number of good deliveries into the visitors box but the centre half pairing of Tom Withers and Sami Hurton held firm. Shane Walsh continued to probe and press down the Hakin right but it was Clarby defending resolutely looking to hit on the break.

It was the Hakin eagerness to press for an equaliser that opened up the game for Clarby in transition and it was Ben Rocky John who made most of the spaces being left. He picked up the ball wide right of the area, and his run beat a couple of Hakin defenders and he was able to stab the ball past Aldred to restore the 2 goal advantage which Clarby took into the break.

Understandably it was Hakin who came out after the break looking for an early goal. Resolute Clarby defending again meant that they held firm but Hakin were getting the chances and it was Mansell again on hand with a couple of great saves, one for a free kick from 20 yards and another from an acrobatic effort from substitute Ashley Bevan. Travis Jones was working hard in the Clarby midfield to keep Hakin at bay and limit chances to long range efforts.

As the game entered the last 20 minutes, with the next goal vital, it was Clarby that grabbed it. Again it was Ben John who managed to evade the challenges of Jay Power in the Hakin defence, and he was able to finish into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Clarby were then content to sit in and defend and were able to see out the game to take the win. In the final 10 minutes, Clarby rang the changes and 16 year old George Thomas entered the field for his Clarby debut, one I am sure he won’t forget. 

Referee John Jenkins blew the whistle for full time and a well earned 4-1 Victory for the visitors. Having beaten Hakin twice this season already, the questions is are Clarby the up and coming challengers for Goodwick. Granted they may not quite be there yet, but the rate they are improving has not gone unnoticed and has impressed many throughout the county.

Sport

Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory

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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.

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Late drama and strong comebacks highlight Pembrokeshire rugby action

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Premiership Division:

Cross Keys 30 – Narberth 24

NARBERTH nearly pulled off one of the season’s most memorable comebacks after trailing 30-7 at halftime. The Otters fought back fiercely in the second half, scoring 17 unanswered points with tries from No 8 Roy Osborne (2), centre Harrison Griffiths, and fly-half Jonathan Rogers. Despite their determined effort, they fell just six points short, securing two bonus points for scoring four tries and finishing within seven points. Skipper Tom Powell was named Narberth’s ‘Player of the Match.’ The Otters now face a crucial relegation battle against bottom-placed Newcastle.

Championship Division (West):

Tata Steel 42 – Crymych 5

Crymych faced a daunting challenge against league leaders Tata Steel, who dominated the match from start to finish. Crymych’s only points came from hooker Lee Griffiths, as they trailed 21-5 at halftime. Unable to break through Tata’s defense in the second half, they conceded another 21 points to lose 42-5.

Laugharne 41 – Whitland 12

Laugharne completed the double over Whitland with a comprehensive 41-12 victory in this local derby. The home side raced to a 22-0 halftime lead, and although Whitland managed to score two tries in the second half through Tom Hughes and Oli Bujega, Laugharne remained in control throughout. This win strengthens Laugharne’s position in second place in the section, behind Lampeter Town.

Division Two (West):

Fishguard & Goodwick 29 – Milford Haven 13

Fishguard & Goodwick secured a dominant win over Milford Haven, completing the double over their rivals. The Seagulls controlled possession and scored five tries, while Milford Haven managed just one. Fishguard’s tries came from Kial Keane, Cai Llewellyn, Liam Wilkes, Rhys Evans, and Rhys Lewis, with Mark Jones converting two. Milford Haven fought hard, with scrum-half James Trueman kicking two penalties and prop Dai Sweeny scoring their only try. Despite a late effort from Milford, Fishguard held on for the win.

Division Four (West) A:

Pembroke 29 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 28

In a thrilling local derby, Pembroke narrowly defeated Pembroke Dock Harlequins by a single point. The Quins led 28-21 in the final stages, but Pembroke mounted a late comeback. Danny Davies scored a try, and Jared Sherratt’s calm penalty in the dying moments secured the victory for Pembroke, who had earlier fallen behind to tries from Jack Price and Craig Barnett for the Quins. Pembroke took revenge for an earlier defeat to the Quins this season.

Division Three (West):

Tumble 31 – Haverfordwest 28

Tumble won a tightly contested match against Haverfordwest, who fought back until the final whistle. Haverfordwest’s tries came from Ollie Roberts, Guy Barrons, and Jack Codd, but Tumble’s attacking pressure, combined with solid defense, saw them hold on for a 31-28 victory. The win keeps Tumble in second place in the table.

WRU Division One Cup – Last 16:

Bridgend Athletic 24 – Tenby United 19

Tenby United came close to securing a quarter-final spot after leading 16-5 at halftime against Bridgend Athletic. However, they faltered in the second half as Bridgend Athletic turned the game around with four tries. Tenby could only manage a drop goal from Lloyd Thomas and one try in the second half, while Athletic scored through Ben Owen, Mike Powell, Tom Jenkins, and Geraint Richards, with Rhys Williams converting two.

Division Three Cup – Last 16:

Cardigan (Walkover) vs Newtown

Cardigan advanced to the quarter-finals of the WRU Division Three Cup after Newtown were unable to field a team, giving Cardigan a walkover despite Newtown’s home advantage.

WRU Division Four Cup – Last 16:

Dreigiau Emlyn 15 – Neyland 26

Neyland secured a hard-fought victory over Dreigiau Emlyn, leading 13-7 at halftime. Dreigiau Emlyn briefly took the lead early with a try from Sam Forrester-Evans, but Neyland responded with a penalty from Oli Rothero and tries from Owen Hamer and Patrick Bellerby. Despite a late penalty from Dreigiau Emlyn, Neyland held on for the win and remain the only Pembrokeshire club left in the competition.

Athletic Battle Hard Against League Leaders:

Pontyclun 26 – Narberth Athletic 19

Narberth Athletic played bravely against league leaders Pontyclun, scoring three tries through Llew Jones and Shane Rossiter (who also converted two), but fell short in a 26-19 defeat. Pontyclun capitalized on key penalties and tries from Ewan Jones and Joe Williams, as well as a flawless kicking display from Nicky Theaker, who slotted four penalties and two conversions.

Bulls Beaten by Better Side on the Day:

Tylorstown 32 – Teirw Crymych 17

Teirw Crymych’s strong first-half performance wasn’t enough to overcome Tylorstown, who scored 17 unanswered points in the second half. Crymych had led 17-15 at halftime, but Tylorstown dominated after the break, claiming a 32-17 victory to advance to the last eight of the competition.

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Pembrokeshire County Council achieve Insport Partnerships Gold Standard

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PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL have recently achieved the insport Partnerships Gold Standard, recognising their commitment and passion to providing inclusive opportunities for disabled people across the local authority area.

‘insport’ is a Disability Sport Wales programme delivered with the support the of Sport Wales, which aims to support the physical activity, sport, and leisure sectors delivering inclusively of disabled people. The purpose of the insport programmes is to support the development of inclusive thinking, planning, development and delivery by everyone within an organisation so that ultimately, they will deliver across the spectrum to disabled and non-disabled people, at whatever level they wish to participate or compete. The intent is to facilitate and deliver cultural change in attitude, approach, and provision of physical activity (including sport) and wider opportunities for disabled people.

Sport Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire Leisure have consistently developed their offers for disabled people locally, becoming the first local authority partner nationally to achieve the insport Partnerships Gold standard. Working with the natural, rural and coastal assets, the Sport Pembrokeshire & Pembrokeshire Leisure teams’ have done a fantastic job in navigating the opportunities and challenges to prioritise the inclusion of disabled people in leisure & community-based physical activity (including sport) opportunities. Ensuring that as many people as possible can be involved in sport and physical activity.

Achievement of the insport Partnerships Gold standard means that an inclusive approach to communities of disabled people is embedded within strategies, programmes, and thinking. This award is never the end of an organisation’s inclusion journey, and Disability Sport Wales will continue to support Pembrokeshire County Council as they continue to provide sector leading inclusive opportunities for disabled people.

Pembrokeshire have a number of excellent examples of collaborative work and partnerships supporting the delivery of strong inclusive programming across Pembrokeshire’s communities which add significant value to the area’s rich inclusive sporting heritage. These opportunities provide the initial steps on the pathway that many former and current Paralympic and Commonwealth Games Para athletes have taken from Pembrokeshire, including the Paris 2024 Paralympic Champion, Matt Bush; Paris 2024 Paralympic athlete, Jodie Grinham; 2022 Commonwealth Games medallist Lily Rice.

Tom Rogers (Governance & Partnership Director, Disability Sport Wales) said: “Pembrokeshire’s achievement of the insport Partnerships Gold standard is a remarkable milestone that highlights the unwavering commitment to inclusion in physical activity (including sport). This achievement recognises the efforts in creating opportunities that ensure everyone, regardless of ability, can participate and thrive in physical activity and sport at a level of their choosing.

Achieving the insport Partnerships Gold standard reflects the culture of inclusivity and recognises the excellent example for communities across Wales and beyond of an embedded culture of inclusion. Sport Pembrokeshire’s dedication to breaking down barriers and fostering an equitable and person centred approach to the delivery of physical activity is reflected across their programming. The commitment to inclusion exits across the Sport Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire Leisure teams’ and the achievement of this standard recognises the years of hard work by current and former team members, as well as excellent community led opportunities across the local authority area.

Congratulations on this significant achievement—your success paves the way for a brighter, more inclusive future in sport.”

Matt Freeman, Sport Pembrokeshire Manager said, “Pembrokeshire County Council is proud to achieve the prestigious insport Gold Standard, a recognition of our commitment to championing inclusive sport and physical activity across the county. This milestone, led by Sport Pembrokeshire – the Council’s sports development team – reflects the collaborative efforts of our partners to ensure opportunities for inclusive participation continue to grow. We remain dedicated to working with both new and existing partners to expand access and make inclusive provision a cornerstone of sport and physical activity in Pembrokeshire”.

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