Sport
Wizards hit back to earn a point
MERLINS BRIDGE fought back from 3-1 down to earn a draw against Carew in an excellent match on Saturday (Oct 28).
Going into the match, Carew sat second and Merlins Bridge were third and with both sides level on points, they were keen to keep up their good start to the season with another victory.
It was Merlins Bridge who the first chance of the game with a minute gone when a corner from Joey George was headed wide by Peter Thomas.
However, Carew went up the other end of the pitch and almost scored themselves as the dangerous Jack Christopher beat the offside trap but Wizards keeper Gary Thomas came out well to block his effort and the following effort by Ian Derbyshire was also saved.
Joey George then went down in the box but no penalty was given by referee Alan Boswell.
With eleven minutes gone, Will Haworth won a corner which George swung into the box and Nathan Greene met it with a towering header only to see his shot blocked on the line by Derbyshire.
Three minutes later Carew took the lead as Alex Bayley crossed from the left hand side and Jack Christopher rose to head the ball down into the net.
They could have doubled their lead soon after when Jack played in brother Sam Christopher but his shot was blocked by an excellent covering tackle.
George then played in Luke Heywood but his fizzing cross ran across the face of goal with no one on the end of it to knock it in.
With half an hour gone the Wizards were back level as Will Haworth turned and saw his shot well saved by Carew keeper Dan James but the rebound fell to Matthew D’Ivry who drilled the ball low into the net to make it 1-1.
Seven minutes before half time Jack Christopher won a free kick 25 yards out and he stepped up to take it. The striker brilliantly curled the ball over the wall and it went in off the left hand post, leaving keeper Thomas with no chance.
Shortly before half time the ball was again played through to Jack who ran on before firing into the roof of the net to complete his hat trick and make it 3-1 to the Rooks.
The Wizards came out for the second half, determined to make up the deficit and also keep intact their unbeaten start to the season.
Eight minutes in they pulled a goal back when a corner was headed in by Ashley Beck.
Greene was then sent through and he beat the defender but his shot was saved by the Carew keeper.
On the hour mark, Luke Heywood also came close to scoring but his shot was blocked on the line.
With fifteen minutes to go, a throw in was flicked on by James Hinchcliffe but Sam Christopher’s acrobatic effort went wide.
They had another chance soon after when Jack Christopher held the ball up well before passing to Alex Bayley in the box but his curling effort rebounded back off the post.
Then with ten minutes to go the Wizards finally drew level as a free kick from Gary Thomas found its way to Luke Heywood who cut inside before firing into the bottom left corner of the net.
Jack Christopher came close to a fourth goal when his long range effort from just inside the half way line only just flew over the top of the net.
A late head injury to Ashley Beck disrupted play and although the Wizards pushed forward in the closing minutes, they were unable to find a winner.
Both sides settled for a 3-3 draw which sees them slip to fourth and fifth respectively following wins for Narberth and Neyland.
On Saturday, November 4, both sides take a break from league action once more as they take part in the second round of the West Wales Cup.
Carew are away to Glynneath Town while Merlins Bridge are at home against Penclawdd.
Sport
Fox’s Fantastic Clarby shock the county to win Senior Cup
Strong favourites Goodwick United were expected by many to be lifting the senior cup again come Saturday afternoon. However Clarbeston Road had other ideas, we warned they were a dangerous opponent with pressure off, this proved to be the case.
A healthy crowd at the Bridge Meadow were treated to an excellent final, often cagey perhaps boring affairs this final was far from boring. It took just seven minutes for the deadlock to be broken when Clarby captain Rheinallt George put the underdogs ahead. However just before the twenty minute mark his opposite number in Scott Delaney squared things up with a trademark header.
Goodwick then took the lead when another set piece caused problems for Clarby who failed to deal with a free kick before Rhys Dalling latched onto the loose ball to volley his team into the lead. However the lead was short lived as the impressive Jake Booth found the net at the second time of asking to make it all square at the break.
Halfway through the second half another set piece led to the equaliser when Matthew Davies headed home a Laurie Haworth corner. Goodwick manager O’Sullivan rung the changes in search of a way to find an equaliser. Newly introduced striker Nathan Greene was fouled in the box and Rhys Jones had the chance to level the cup final, however Rhys Mansell had other ideas and he saved the penalty. The save gave his team a huge boast and belief that this could be their day, and indeed it was.
Most of the season we have hyped up the quality and character of this Clarby team and praised Matthew Fox and his players. Fox has done a excellent job and this is just rewards, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Clarby began this cup run by beating Hakin who have dominated this cup for so many years. An excellent achievement for all involved and an interesting plot going into next season, will Clarby be able to challange Goodwick in the league also.
For Goodwick it’ll be a bitterly disappointing defeat in a season of such dominance just the one trophy will be the least most expected from this quality side. Many thought Goodwick would win the treble and they were certainly capable, which will be the frustrating factor for the Goodwick management.
Sport
South-West Wales Athletes Aiming to Shine at the Summer Olympics
Two of the finest athletes in south-west Wales are dreaming about bringing home medals from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Track cyclist Emma Finucane and sailing star Micky Beckett will head to France in a buoyant mood after enjoying a successful build-up to their respective events.
Welsh athletes collected a record-equalling 11 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games and hopes are high that the tally could be beaten this year.
The Carmarthen-born rider cemented her rapid rise up the sprint ranks by winning a gold medal at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
She became Great Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion since Becky James in 2013 and is now on track to chase more medals at the Olympics across three events.
The 21-year-old has yearned to compete at the Summer Games since watching Team GB sparkle at London 2012 and she is eager to make her mark this summer.
“It’s a massive dream of mine and it’s pretty cool that I’m kind of living my dream,” Finucane said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the journey and hopefully I’ll get selected and compete for my country.
“And it’s exciting because as the Team GB women’s sprint. I feel like we’re in a really good place to do well at the Olympics, not just compete as Olympians.”
Pembrokeshire-born sailor Beckett will also head to Paris with his sights firmly set on winning gold in the hugely competitive ILCA 7 class.
He will renew rivalries with Australian Matt Wearn, who controversially claimed the World Championship title ahead of Hermann Tomasgaard and Beckett earlier this year.
Online bookmakers rate Wearn as the favourite to emerge victorious this summer, but Beckett’s recent form gives him every chance of turning the tables.
Several new sports betting sites in Australia cut the Welsh sailor’s Olympic odds after he completed a trio of World Cup successes at a recent event in Palma.
Beckett believes the hard work he has done over the past few months gives him every chance of toppling Wearn when the action gets underway this summer.
“There is still plenty of work to do and managing form is probably the most important thing of any athlete’s job,” Beckett said. “There is no point being the best in the world unless you are the best in the world when it counts.
Sport
Kilgetty and Carew Share Spoils in End-of-Season Showdown
In the picturesque setting of Kilgetty, under the soft glow of the evening sun, local football fans were treated to an enticing clash between Kilgetty and Carew in the Pembrokeshire League Division 1. With the season winding down, both sides took to the pitch amidst numerous squad rotations, following a hectic week of multiple fixtures.
The match kicked off in a leisurely pace, resembling more of an end-of-season friendly than a fierce competition. Kilgetty seized the early initiative, with the trio of Josh Bevan, Richard Tebbut, and Richard Cope causing headaches for the Carew defense, skillfully led by Gareth Lewis. It was Jac Waters who broke the deadlock for the home side, putting Kilgetty ahead 1-0 as the first half came to a close.
However, Carew emerged revitalised after the break, with Jonty Bennett, James Hinchcliffe, and Zac Rowell putting in the hard yards to level the score. The introduction of Harvey Drummond for the ineffective Sam Christopher added further depth to Carew’s attacking prowess, culminating in an equaliser courtesy of the excellent Hinchcliffe.
As tensions rose, the game took on a newfound intensity, marked by needless bookings, after a clearly offside goal and a few heated moments on the field. Despite the fatigue evident from their recent fixture congestion, both teams showcased their competitive spirit, treating the fans to an entertaining second half.
In the end, neither side could break the deadlock, with Kilgetty and Carew having to settle for a well-fought 1-1 draw. While neither team was at their absolute best, the match provided a fitting conclusion to their respective seasons.
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