Sport
Rali Ceredigion delivers thrilling BRC double header
THE fight for the Probite British Rally Championship crown will go down to the wire at the final round, after the merciless Welsh mountain stages of the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion saw a dramatic rise and fall of several title challengers at the weekend.
The Aberystwyth-based event featured on the FIA European Rally Championship [ERC] roster for the first time and brought some of Europe’s fastest drivers to Wales to go head-to-head with the BRC regulars.
Two points scoring opportunities across the tricky three-day closed road event meant that the approach to the weekend for BRC contenders could well be a tactical one and two top scores for several of the front runners could significantly shape the championship standings. Points were allocated after Saturday’s stages, with another opportunity to score on the final day.
Over 184km of flat-out driving would ensure that crews would need to be on their “A-game” across the daunting asphalt tests and it was undoubtedly shaping up to be the toughest event of the year.
A qualifying session kicked off proceedings on Friday morning to determine road order for the following day and it was series leader William Creighton who took his Pirelli shod M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 to third fastest overall and top BRC time against the ERC regulars.
After the afternoon’s sell-out ceremonial start on Aberystwyth seafront, two blasts around the promenade street stage were in order and the short sharp test saw Chris Ingram set the pace with two scratch times despite this event marking his debut on asphalt in the Michelin-backed Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Behind him, a fascinating battle for the overnight honours unfolded with ERC regular Jon Armstrong receiving a late call-up from the M-Sport squad to score points for the team and making an instant impression, taking second overnight.
Just 0.1s behind would be Creighton with an under-the-weather James Williams setting an impressive pace to finish the day fourth in his Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Keith Cronin escaped a first-stage clash with the stage furniture in his Fiesta Rally2 to round out the top five.
Whilst the opening day was brief, Saturday offered up a stark contrast with over 124km of special stages and eight tests providing the bulk of the competitive driving.
The opening Brechfa test saw a masterclass performance from Williams, who recorded a breathtaking pace which was not only the scratch BRC time, but also the fastest time overall, his maiden European stage win. Sadly, that would be all undone on the very next test when he and co-driver Ross Whittock left the road, tipping the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 onto its roof.
Punctures for William Creighton and Jon Armstrong over the opening loop of the day threw the leaderboard into chaos and positions would change with every passing stage.
Heading into the mid-point service it was Ingram out front, Cronin second and Osian Pryce in third with Ingram almost 19s to the good from the Irishman.
Armstrong would be the man of the moment over the repeat loop, setting the fastest BRC time over each one of the afternoon’s five tests but his earlier puncture meant that fourth would be the best he could manage.
Despite just one stage win, Ingram was uncatchable and ended the day in second overall, giving him his third maximum BRC score of the season.
“I’ve been so careful this afternoon with so many guys getting punctures,” said a delighted Ingram.
It’s been tough to keep everything together today and keeping it clean and tidy has been important. Scoring maximum points today means the pressure is off slightly [for tomorrow] but we can have a push”.
Ingram and co-driver Alex Kihurani’s result meant they headed into the final day with the BRC title within reach; a win could be enough to seal the crown. Second went to Cronin and Mike Galvin with Osian Pryce and Rhodri Evans rounding out the podium in third.
With the clocks reset for points purposes, Sunday would be a short, sharp blast of just four stages, kicking off with the treacherous Bethania test. Creighton was one of the first on the road and would set the pace but behind him, the drama unfolded in spectacular fashion.
Braking for a fast right-hander, Ingram’s Yaris rear end stepped away and launched him off the road and into instant retirement. If that wasn’t enough, just a few minutes later Cronin clipped the inside of a wall and rolled his Fiesta spectacularly, meaning once again the BRC leaderboard was thrown into disarray.
Eager to capitalise, Armstrong was quickest on the next test to move into the lead for Sunday’s points. Three-time British Rally champion Matt Edwards’ return to the series was a testing one, but the fastest overall time on the Bethania repeat was some consolation for a difficult weekend in his Fiesta Rally2.
Another scratch time from Armstrong on the final stage of the rally gave him the win on paper, before electing to check into the finish time control late to incur a 20second penalty – enough to hand teammate William Creighton the round six win and a vital top score for the Irishman’s Championship aspirations.
“It’s been great to be here and compete against the BRC regulars and compare our pace, especially William [Creighton] & Matt [Edwards], said Armstrong.
Equally happy was Creighton, who now heads to the final round in the lead of the standings, by just one point over Ingram.
“Yesterday wasn’t great from me, some small mistakes that had costly errors and that put us behind, but we reset ahead of today and we’ve done a pretty good job” he said. “Thanks to all the team who got behind us after yesterday’s issues.”
Edwards did enough to clinch third with Pryce fourth. Meirion Evans hurled his Yaris to fifth over the closing day, with plenty to take away from a good performance over this home event.
The title fight now goes down to the wire at the Cambrian in October, where a handful of BRC1 contenders still have a chance of clinching the crown.
Junior British Rally Championship and BRC4
Home hero Ioan Lloyd was unstoppable in the Junior BRC, taking his Peugeot 208 Rally4 to a convincing round-five victory with Sion Williams alongside. The Welsh pair finished a staggering 1m 17s ahead of Ryan MacHugh in his Fiesta Rally4 as early contender Keelan Grogan exited early with an off-road excursion. Kyle McBride rounded out the podium in third after switching to an Opel Corsa Rally4 for the weekend.
MacHugh enjoyed the top spot on Sunday’s sixth round, with Lloyd electing to take it easy and maximise his chances of a top Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK score, eventually taking second place. McBride’s Opel suffered a water pipe failure, taking him out of third and ensuring Grogan could leave Wales with some points for his efforts. Robert Proudlock and Steven Brown still head the championship standings with one round remaining.
In BRC4, James Lightfoot and Ula Budzyńska completed their first international rally and in the process became class champions in their Fiesta R2T.
Open Rally Title & National Rally Title
Callum Black and Jack Morton were unstoppable in the Open Rally Title, claiming both round five and round six wins in their Fiesta Rally2. Eventual second-placed man Neil Roskell mastered the Aberystwyth Street stage to lead overnight on Friday before Black hammered in fastest stage times throughout Saturday to end the day with over 2m 34s in hand and newcomer Dylan Davies rounding out the top three. The sixth round was a carbon copy, which means like its BRC1 counterpart, the title race goes to the final round of the season.
In the National Rally Title, Nathan Evans and Rhys Edwards took their Renault Clio RS to victory at round five, following it up with second spot on Sunday. Sunday’s victory went to Nathan Bolton and Phil Kenny in their Mitsubishi Evo. Series leader and Vauxhall Nova driver William Mains secured third on both occasions, to come within a hair’s breadth of the title.
The last round of the season heads back to the gravel and the popular Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally in October. With one and a half times points available, it’s all set to be a thrilling final encounter.
Catch up with all the action from Rali Ceredigion with the BRC highlights on ITV4, ITVX and ITV4+1 at 8pm on Wednesday 11 September.
Sport
Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston
Herbrandston 0 – St Ishmaels 6
BRENNAN DEVONALD delivered a masterclass as St Ishmaels thrashed Herbrandston 6-0, with the skipper leading from the front and scoring a stunning hat-trick. The comprehensive victory propels St Ishmaels to eighth in the league table, while Herbrandston remain rooted to the bottom without a single point.
The visitors asserted their dominance from the outset. Devonald opened the scoring in the 9th minute, latching onto a pinpoint assist from Owen Lawrence. He doubled their lead just before halftime in the 40th minute, again set up by Lawrence, giving St Ishmaels a comfortable cushion at the break.
St Ishmaels maintained their momentum in the second half, adding four more goals to cap off a stellar team performance. Adam Kingsbeer’s clever play set up Ieuan Hawkins for the third, before Tom Williams capitalised on another opportunity to make it 4-0. Devonald sealed his hat-trick in the 85th minute with an expertly taken goal, and Joel Mills added the finishing touch in the dying moments, courtesy of an assist from Sol Goodall.
Team line-ups
Herbrandston: Adrian Rees, Oliver Robinson, Ethan Chalker, Scott Findlay, Dean John (Captain), Harley Barrett, Gedion Hockin, Leon Whatling, Scott Gillespie, Cian Davenport. Subs: Leo Duncan, Jacob James, Nico Cockrell.
St Ishmaels: Owen Thomas, Sol Goodall, Owen Lawrence, Finley Armstrong, Brennan Devonald (Captain), Adam Kingsbeer, Ieuan Hawkins, Joel Mills, Tom Williams, Daniel Coe, Nathan Thomas. Subs: Max Howells, Tyler Sheil.
Sport
Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3
Goodwick United 7-0 Carew
Goodwick United put on a commanding performance with a 7-0 triumph over Carew. The home side proved too powerful for their opponents, with Rhys Dalling and Rhys Jones each bagging two goals. Matty Delaney, Will Haworth, and Daniel Bryce also got their names on the scoresheet. As one of Pembrokeshire’s top teams, Goodwick will aim to build on this dominant win as they progress to the next round.
Hakin United 13-0 Clydach Sports
Hakin United were in ruthless form as they dispatched Clydach Sports 13-0. Jack Britton led the charge with an impressive five-goal haul, while Liam Parks netted a hat-trick. Jack Griffiths, Jay Kilby, Kieran King, Justin Harding, and Mason Dolling all contributed to the comprehensive scoreline. Hakin, one of the premier teams in Pembrokeshire, will be keen to continue their pursuit of the cup after this emphatic victory.
Merlins Bridge 7-3 Treboeth United
Merlins Bridge secured a thrilling 7-3 victory over Treboeth United in an exciting encounter. Nathan Evans was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick, while Tom Jago, Jason Griffiths, Hayden Dimond, and Ashton Plunkett all found the back of the net. Treboeth’s Liam Manning, Cori Jones, and Matthew Colley fought valiantly but could not prevent the home side from taking the win. Merlins Bridge will be pleased with their attacking display and will look to build on this result.
Monkton Swifts 5-4 Clarbeston Road
In a dramatic local derby, Monkton Swifts edged out Clarbeston Road 5-4 in a high-scoring affair. Dylan Davies was the standout performer with four goals, and Liam Butland added another. Clarbeston Road fought hard with goals from Laurie Haworth, Matthew Davies, Greg Brown, and Ben John, but it was the Swifts who held on to secure the victory. Monkton will be happy to progress after such a closely contested match.
Neyland 1-2 Cwm Wanderers
Neyland were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Cwm Wanderers in a closely contested match. Ben Gale scored for Neyland, but goals from Joseff Shaw and Corey Raven-Sayce gave the visitors the edge. Despite a valiant effort from Neyland, Cwm Wanderers held firm to secure the win and advance to the next round.
Plough Colts 0-2 Pennar Robins
Pennar Robins comfortably saw off Plough Colts 2-0, with Kieran Smith and Jamie Wilkes scoring the goals. Pennar demonstrated their class and will look to carry this momentum forward into the next round.
Tenby 2-0 Blaen-y-Maes
Tenby continued their fine form with a 2-0 victory over Blaen-y-Maes. Sam Butler and Scott Ferney were on target for Tenby, who have been one of the most impressive sides this season. This win further cements Tenby’s status as one of the top contenders in the competition.
Analysis:
Pembrokeshire’s leading teams, Goodwick United and Hakin United, demonstrated their superiority with commanding wins, while Tenby showed their credentials with a solid 2-0 victory. With such dominant performances, Goodwick and Hakin are likely to be among the favourites to claim the title, with Tenby also emerging as a serious contender in this year’s West Wales Intermediate Cup.
Sport
Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory
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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