Sport
Cresselly beat Town to open up title race
THE Division 1 title race was blown wide open on Saturday (Jun 30) as Cresselly beat leaders Haverfordwest while Whitland and Neyland both won again to close the gap on the top two.
Haverfordwest were asked to bat first against Cresselly and had it not been for a score of 91 not out from Simon Holliday, taking his tally of runs for the season to 876, their score could have been a lot less.
Opener Dai Davies was the only other batsman to make it into double figures as they slipped to scores of 78-6 and 114-8.
Cresselly’s Ryan Lewis was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with figures of 5-25.
In reply, Dan Sutton and Iwan Izzard both made scores of 24 before 83 not out from Dan Cherry guided Cresselly to their target.
The win means Cresselly move level on points with leaders Haverfordwest while Whitland’s win over Lawrenny means they are now just 16 points behind.
Whitland batted first and made an excellent total of 257-4 in their innings with Steffan James playing a starring role as he finished not out on 128.
He was supported well by Dylan Blain who added 68 runs as Lawrenny’s bowlers toiled.
Lawrenny were unable to match Whitland’s score however, as Iestyn Scourfield was in superb form with the ball as he took nine wickets for the loss of 39 runs to help bowl their opponents out for 106.
Neyland returned to winning ways on Saturday with victory over Llangwm at Pill Parks and they now sit 18 points behind the top two.
Neyland had lost three of their previous four matches, drawing the other, but they were eager to get themselves back in the title picture and they scored 253-6 in their innings.
They had played on the same pitch a few days earlier in the semi-final of the Duggie Morris tournament so they already had a good feel of how the pitch would play.
Nick Koomen top scored for his side with 78 runs while Ashley Smith added 47 and Henry Durrant added 40.
Llangwm had Noah Davies their top scorer on 52 while Joseph Kiff added 49 and Richard Brock scored 38 but it wasn’t quite enough to take them to victory.
Andrew Miller took three wickets for Neyland while Gary Lloyd and Durrant both struck twice to bowl them out for 181.
At the other end of the table, Kilgetty earned a crucial win against Burton to further boost their hopes of survival.
Kilgetty batted first but were all out for 163 with Burton’s Morgan Scale taking four wickets and Luke Hayman also taking three wickets.
Kurtis Marsh top scored for the visitors with 53 runs while Tom Lewis scored 36 and Jack Parkinson added 23.
Burton then had Matthew Davies score 41 in reply and Morgan Scale added 38 but it wasn’t quite enough to earn them victory as they were bowled out for 158, just five runs short.
Marsh took three wickets while Ross Hardy and Liam Cullen both struck twice for Kilgetty.
Finally, Tish eased to victory over Johnston by nine wickets on Saturday.
Johnston batted first and had opener Steve James score 22 and Gary James added 21 before some late hitting from Keegan Codd saw him score 43 as they were all out for 124.
Tish’s Andrew Pawlett took six wickets for the home side who then had Peter Bradshaw finish not out on 47 and Phil Cockburn unbeaten on 56 as they reached their target with plenty of time to spare.
On Saturday (Jul 7), the top four sides all face sides below them in the table with Cresselly travelling to bottom side Johnston.
Haverfordwest travel to a Lawrenny side who have already beaten Neyland and Cresselly so far this season.
Whitland are at home to Llangwm while Neyland are at home as they take on Burton.
Two sides towards the bottom end of the table could give themselves a real boost as third from bottom Kilgetty host fourth from bottom St Ishmaels with both locked on 128 points.
Sport
New Hedges Saundersfoot win cup final in style.
Division Four Cup Final
New Hedges Saundersfoot 7-1 St Ishmaels Reserves
The Division Four Cup Final between New Hedges Saundersfoot and St Ishmaels reserves took place at Monkton Swifts, witnessed by an eager crowd. The game, officiated by Sean O’Connor, with Gareth Elliot and Dean Driscoll as assistant referees, promised an intense battle for the coveted trophy.
From the onset, New Hedges Saundersfoot showcased their dominance. Owen, Miles, Davidson, and Marsh all getting on the score sheet leading to an impressive goal tally.
The Mice never gave up and battled well but they struggled to contain their opponent’s attacking quality. Thomas Williams managed the one and only goal for Tish.
The final score stood at an emphatic 7-1 in favor of New Hedges Saundersfoot, underlining their superiority throughout the match.
New Hedges Saundersfoot emerged as deserved victors, clinching the silverware and adding a significant achievement to their season. Their comprehensive victory in the cup final will undoubtedly be celebrated by players and fans alike. Despite falling short of promotion in their league campaign, this triumph will serve as a testament to their talent and resilience on the field.
In conclusion, the Division Four Cup Final witnessed a commendable display of skill and determination from both teams. Congratulations to New Hedges Saundersfoot for their outstanding performance and well-deserved victory in the final.
News
Tigers second division Cup Champions
In a thrilling Pembrokeshire Division Two Cup final under the floodlights of Bridge Meadow Stadium, fans witnessed an epic battle between Monkton Swifts reserves and Johnston. Despite Monkton Swifts reserves being touted as favorites, Johnston proved their mettle from the outset.
The game kicked off with a burst of energy as Johnston’s center half, Craig Bendall, seized an early opportunity to put his team ahead just ten minutes into the match. However, Monkton Swifts’ prolific Scotsman, Davis, swiftly responded with an equalizer, showcasing the resilience of the favourites.
The momentum shifted again when the dynamic duo of Alfie and Scott Crawford of Johnston orchestrated a beautifully executed goal, putting Johnston back in the lead at 2-1.
As the game progressed, Monkton Swifts brought in reinforcements, including Ben Steele, to regain control. Their efforts paid off when Jordan Kilby leveled the score at 2-2 with just under 20 minutes remaining.
But the Crawfords had other plans. Combining once more, Scott provided the assist for Alfie, who coolly finished to put Johnston ahead once again.
With time running out, Monkton Swifts launched a relentless onslaught in search of an equalizer. However, Johnston’s defense held firm, defying the odds to clinch the Division Two Cup title in a memorable victory.
The match showcased the passion and determination of both teams, with Johnston emerging as deserving champions in a fiercely contested final at Bridge Meadow Stadium.
Sport
Promotion, relegation and everything in between.
As we come to the end of the 2023-2024 season it’s time to look at the winners and losers so to speak as most promotion and relegation battles are now all sewn up.
We begin at the very top where Goodwick United have blown away the first division to become deserved champions elect. At the opposite end of the table Fishguard Sports struggled all season and we comfortably relegated, going down with them are Neyland who’s relegation was confirmed a few weeks ago. Neither team were cut adrift and battled right until the end which is credit to both outfits, sometimes relegation can act as a spring broad and both clubs will be hoping this is the case.
Monkton Swifts reserves were the outstanding team in the second division and were a cut above the rest on their journey to becoming league champions on 56 points with an impressive plus 61 goal difference. As Monkton can’t be promoted due to their first team being in the first division it allowed both Herbrandston and St Ishmaels to be promoted. Herbrandston finished in third on 40 points, whilst the Mice just beat them to second place ending up on 42 points. Both clubs will now use the summer to prepare for the step up that awaits.
At the opposite end of the division, Cosheston never really got going and after their points deduction ended on a lowly 6 points which is never going to be enough to avoid relegation. The second relegation place was much closer with St Clears, Carew reserves and Broad Haven all being in a dog fight for the majority of the season. Broad Haven showed good fight and character which steered them clear of trouble while Carew found form at a key time, which means St Clears will play their football in the third division next season.
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