Sport
Otters delighted with win
NARBERTH travelled to Trebanos on Saturday (Oct 20) with once again a few enforced changes to the team due to injuries and unavailability.
Trebanos are having a very good season with a great defensive record and the Otters knew they were in for a very tough match on a ground where they had lost the previous season.
For the first ten minutes there was very little between the teams with the side in possession looking to create opportunities and then spread the ball wide but good defence from both sides resulted in a stalemate.
Eventually Narberth was guilty of a high tackle and home winger Matthew Edwards kicked the penalty (3-0). Shortly afterwards Trebanos infringed at a ruck and Nick Gale, playing at centre, evened things up with a nicely struck penalty from about 45 metres out (3-3).
Five minutes later Narberth had a scrum on the Trebanos 22 metre line. No.8 Richie Rees picked up the ball and drove forward. The ball was recycled and fed to centre Jack Price who broke down the middle.
There were further charges towards the Trebanos line by the Otters two Props Bradley Davies and Tom Slater and then Richie Rees once again took the ball forward. He was tackled close to the try line and quick ball from the ensuing ruck saw Jack Price sprint through a gap in the home defence and pass to the supporting full back Johnny Morgan who scored near the posts. Nick Gale kicked the conversion (3-10).
Narberth started to get on top at this stage of the game and had the greater share of possession. The forwards and backs were combining well but whether Narberth took the ball on in the forwards or spread the ball wide the Trebanos defence held firm with some strong tackling.
Then Narberth had a scrum near to the Trebanos try line and when the Otters drove forward Trebanos dropped the scrum and were penalised. Nick Gale kicked the penalty (3-13).
Shortly after the restart Narberth were penalised at a lineout and the home team kicked to the corner. The Otters defended well but had to concede a five metre scrum. From this the ball was moved quickly to the Trebanos No.12 who broke the first tackle and then fed his co-centre Tom Dew who scored near the posts. Matthew Edwards converted (10-13).
The remainder of the half saw Trebanos putting pressure on the visitors in their own half and it was the Otters turn to put in a determined defensive shift with some strong tackling being put in by forwards and backs alike. The Otters held out and the score remained 10-13 at half time.
Trebanos started the second half as they had finished the first and after five minutes a clever kick through behind the Narberth backs by the home fly half saw centre Tom Dew dive on the ball and score under the posts.
Winger Edwards converted to put Trebanos back in the lead 17-13. Narberth quickly got themselves back into the game and were pressing near the Trebanos try line. They were beginning to get the upper hand in the scrums with Bradley Davies, Dan Smith and Tom Slater outscrummaging their front row opponents. Eventually from a series of forward drives towards the home try line Narberth forced their way over with a well-deserved try from No.6 Andrew Cooke. Nick Gale converted (17-20).Shortly afterwards from another infringement at a scrum by the home team saw Nick Gale kicking a penalty to increase the lead (17-23).
Trebanos refused to give up and came back with a series of lineouts close to the visitors line but every attack was driven back by a dogged defence from the Narberth forwards. However from an infringement at a ruck Narberth were penalised and again Edwards kicked the goal (20-23).
Narberth then made several changes with Props Davies and Slater being replaced by Dan Jacobs and Tom Kaijaks, scrum half Rhys Lane being replaced by Lewys Gibby and Yannick Parker replacing the injured Nick Gale in the centre. More Narberth pressure in the scrum resulted in afurther penalty which Narberth kicked to the corner.
The ball was caught at the lineout by captain Alex Jenkins and Narberth drove towards the Trebanos line. Eventually the ball was released and Jack Price forced his way over the line. The conversion attempt failed (20-28).
Trebanos came back yet again and a further penalty by Edwards brought the score back to 23-28. That was the final score of the game and the Otters were relieved to come away with another away win.
On Saturday (Oct 27), they are home to Cardiff Metropolitan who are unbeaten and top of the Championship table. It should be an interesting encounter.
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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