Jones strike secures vital win as County stay top of play-off conference

HAVERFORDWEST County returned to winning ways on Friday (Mar 13) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cardiff Metropolitan at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.

Substitute OWAIN JONES proved the difference, scoring with ten minutes remaining to seal all three points for the Bluebirds in front of a crowd of more than 500.

The result means County maintain their four-point lead at the top of the JD Cymru Premier Play-Off Conference with just four games left to play.

Slow first half

Chances were limited during a quiet opening period, with neither side able to gain control.

The game was disrupted by a lengthy 12-minute stoppage after Cardiff Met striker Lewis Rees required treatment following a collision with Panashe Makwiramiti.

When play resumed, both sides struggled to build momentum. Dylan Rees came closest for the hosts before the break, first delivering a dangerous cross that narrowly missed teammates before seeing a long-range effort drift just wide.

Cardiff Met’s best opportunity came late in the half when Dixon Kabongo fired over from inside the area.

Pressure builds after break

County looked sharper after the restart and began to apply sustained pressure.

Greg Walters saw a header deflected wide early in the second half, before the hosts had the ball in the net moments later, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Dan Hawkins then forced a low save from goalkeeper Ewan Griffiths, while Walters again went close with an effort from inside the box.

With chances continuing to come and go, manager Tony Pennock turned to his bench, introducing Owain Jones and Iori Humphreys midway through the half.

Jones strikes late

The breakthrough finally came on 80 minutes.

A corner caused confusion in the Cardiff Met defence, and the ball fell kindly for JONES, who bundled it over the line from close range to send the home supporters into celebration.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser late on, but Ifan Knott was rarely troubled as County held firm through the closing stages.

The victory sees Haverfordwest County strengthen their position at the top of the Play-Off Conference as they head into the final weeks of the season.

They are back in action on Saturday (Mar 21) when they travel to Bala Town.

Cover image:

Greg Walters shifts the ball away from Cardiff Metropolitan captain CJ Craven. (Pic by Lewis Mitchell/FAW)

Member clubs to vote on leadership changes and governance reforms

THE WELSH RUGBY UNION has confirmed that an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will take place at 6:00pm on Monday (Apr 13) at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The meeting was formally requested by member clubs last month and will, for the first time under governance changes introduced in 2023, be accessible both in person and online. Clubs unable to attend will also be able to vote in advance via proxy, ensuring all members can take part in the decision-making process.

The EGM was triggered after a requisition notice was signed by 50 of the Union’s 282 member clubs.

Three key motions will be put to a vote.

The first proposes fresh elections for four Welsh Rugby Union Council members who currently sit on the Board of Directors, with new elections to be held within 14 days if the motion passes.

The second motion seeks to amend the Union’s Articles of Association to allow any four Council members to serve on the Board, replacing the current structure which requires representation from both district and national council members.

The third motion calls for a vote of no confidence in the WRU’s independent chair, Richard Collier-Keywood, which would result in his immediate resignation from the Board if approved.

The first two motions are classified as special resolutions and will require a 75 per cent majority to pass. The third motion is an ordinary resolution and requires a simple majority of 50 per cent.

The WRU Board has recommended that member clubs vote against all three motions and has issued an explanatory note outlining its position.

The outcome of the meeting is expected to have significant implications for the future governance and leadership of Welsh rugby.

Chris Richmond Hand and co-driver Ben Duke return from Spain with commanding win after gruelling mountain stages

LOCAL rally driver Chris Richmond Hand said he was left “totally gobsmacked” after securing victory on his first appearance at the Rally KH7 Costa Brava 2026 in Spain.

The challenging event, held around Girona near Barcelona, saw Chris and his co-driver Ben Duke return to Wales triumphant with a commanding 45-second lead. More international rallies are now firmly on their radar.

The three-day competition is the oldest historic rally in Spain and attracts some of the world’s finest classic motorsport entries. Being invited to compete was a proud moment for the Teifi Valley Motor Club member.

“Who doesn’t want to go to Spain to compete?” Chris said with a grin. “After 22 hours of travelling and only stopping for fuel, we made it – and what a rally it was. It was absolutely worth every mile.”

Chris remains on cloud nine after taking the Open Class win in demanding conditions. Rain and thick fog added to the already technical challenge of the mountain stages, but the Welsh duo rose to the occasion.

“I don’t really know where to start other than saying follow your dreams,” he said. “Doing an event like this in Spain has always been a bit of a bucket list thing for me.

“If someone had told me a few years ago that we’d be competing in rallies like this, I honestly wouldn’t have believed them – especially doing it in ABX, my Toyota Starlet.”

The rally’s twisting hairpin bends and technical stages proved demanding for both driver and co-driver. For Ben Duke, it was only his fourth time reading pace notes in competition.

“The stages were tough and demanding,” Chris added. “A huge thank you to Ben for doing a brilliant job on the notes all weekend – you absolutely smashed it. I also can’t thank Alex Sasplugas enough for inviting us. It was probably one of the most challenging rallies I’ve ever competed in.”

Chris said the result would not have been possible without the support of his team behind the scenes.

“A huge thank you to the service boys Dafydd Lloyd and Josh Clark – the car was faultless all weekend. That’s a real credit to all the hard work you put in behind the scenes.

“And of course a big thank you to all of our sponsors for their continued support. Without these amazing people, journeys and opportunities like this just wouldn’t be possible.

“Finally, to my awesome wife Letty – thank you for keeping everything afloat while I was away. I couldn’t do any of this without you.”

Chris now has his sights set on the famous Donegal Rally in Ireland later this year, where he hopes to continue his winning run and keep Wales firmly on the international rallying map.