Sport
Town take tenth Bowl title in thriller
HAVERFORDWEST won the Harrison Allen Bowl on Saturday (August 31), after they beat Lawrenny in a thrilling final played in Cresselly.
Overnight and early morning rain had threatened to delay the start of the game but the sterling work of the Cresselly groundsmen ensured the game would start on time.
It was Lawrenny who batted first after Town won the toss and chose to bowl.
Kurtis Marsh and Brad McDermott-Jenkins got Lawrenny going with some fine hitting as the pair shared 93 runs for the first wicket.
Those runs came inside the first ten overs but it was Marsh who departed as he saw his shot caught by Mike Jones giving Simon Holliday his first wicket of the day.
McDermott-Jenkins then reached his half century as he and Harry Thomas continued to pile on the runs, taking Lawrenny past 150.
Brad had smashed his way to a score of 76 but then saw himself bowled by Lee Summons.
Town then began to hit back as Summons bowled James Phillips before Adam James did the same to Ryan Morton and Joe Kidney.
Harry Thomas finished unbeaten on 53 however as Lawrenny’s opening 22 overs came to a close with them on 192-5.
Town knew they would need to bat well if they were to keep the lead down, or even build a lead.
They made a blistering start too, Adam James reaching his half century in just the sixth over.
Lawrenny then made the breakthrough as Brad McDermott-Jenkins caught and bowled Simon Holliday on a score of 10.
James Buckle then took an excellent catch to dismiss Danny Potter and give McDermott-Jenkins his second wicket.
At the start of the ninth over, James smashed three big sixes in a row but then saw himself caught by McDermott-Jenkins on 84 as Marsh picked up the crucial wicket.
Marsh then bowled Dai Davies and McDermott-Jenkins then bowled Dan Field to leave the Town on 96-5.
Lee Summons and Jake Merry looked to rebuild and the pair shared 25 runs for the sixth wicket.
Merry then walked down the pitch to play a shot but missed and he couldn’t get back in time as James Phillips knocked the bails off to give Marsh his third wicket.
Mike Jones was then caught by James Buckle off the bowling of Ryan Morton and Archie Thomas was caught by Morton off the bowling of Rob Williams.
Jack Scriven then edged behind to Phillips and with the penultimate ball, Clive Tucker was run out by Buckle.
That left Summons not out on 25 but Town had been bowled out for 149, giving Lawrenny a lead of 43 at the half-way stage.
Marsh and McDermott-Jenkins began again for Lawrenny as they looked to increase their lead.
However, in the second over, Town got the early wicket they wanted as Tucker bowled McDermott-Jenkins.
Marsh was joined in the middle by Harry Thomas and the pair batted well together taking the lead past 100.
They put on 64 runs for the second wicket but Holliday made the breakthrough as he had Thomas caught by Adam James on a score of 33.
Town then struck again as James Phillips hit the ball to Mike Jones who clung on to give Holliday his second wicket.
Holliday then had another as he had Steve Lewis caught by Adam James and he soon had a fourth as he had Joe Kidney caught by Jake Merry.
That left Lawrenny on 91-5 after 14 overs and their lead was only 134.
Holliday wasn’t finished there either as he then ran out James Buckle who had set off for a run that wasn’t there.
Marsh then reached his half century but then saw Ryan Morton trapped leg before by Adam James on a score of 15.
Marsh made his way to a score of 58 but then missed as he came down the wicket for a shot and was stumped by Scriven.
That left Lawrenny on 130-8 with their lead on 173.
Skeels hit a six but a mix up with Tom Cole saw the latter run out by Archie Thomas.
Thomas then had Rob Williams caught by Jake Merry as Lawrenny were bowled out for 143.
That meant that Town would need 187 to win their tenth Bowl title and they would need to go some too to do it.
James and Holliday did indeed go some as the pair shared 104 runs off the first ten overs with some excellent hitting.
Holliday reached a score of 43 but then saw himself caught and bowled by McDermott-Jenkins.
James had smashed his way to a score of 81 from only 44 balls but he was then caught by Ryan Morton off the bowling of McDermott-Jenkins.
That left the Town on 129-2 but Danny Potter and Archie Thomas shared twenty runs for the third wicket.
Morton bowled Thomas but Danny Potter and Dai Davies continued to put runs on the board as the game went down to the wire.
Potter and Davies both cracked maximums as Town edged closer to a remarkable victory.
Potter finished not out on 37 while Davies hit the winning four to finish not out on 15 and spark scenes of celebrations amongst Town players and supporters.
It was a cracking final and a great advert for Pembrokeshire cricket and Lawrenny will feel desperately unlucky to have missed out two years in a row.
Town captain Danny Potter claimed the Bowl for the third time as Captain and for the tenth time in the club’s history.
Adam James was named man of the match shortly after for his knocks of 86 off 33 in the first innings and 81 off 44 in the second.
Sport
Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League – Division 1: Match reports
Goodwick United 3–0 Merlins Bridge
League leaders Goodwick United claimed a commanding 3–0 victory over Merlins Bridge at the Pembrokeshire Sports Village. Rhys Jones broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with a spectacular 25-yard free kick. An own goal by Nick Squire early in the second half doubled the advantage, and Jones sealed the win with a stoppage-time strike. The result keeps Goodwick four points clear at the top as they push to retain their title.
Carew 16–0 Herbrandston
Carew delivered a record-breaking performance, thrashing Herbrandston 16–0 at the Gerald Hicks Memorial Ground. James Hinchliffe led the charge with six goals, supported by Shaun Whitfield’s rapid hat-trick. George Waters contributed four goals, Gareth Lewis added two, and Leon Davies completed the rout. The emphatic win lifted Carew out of the relegation zone, while Herbrandston remains firmly at the bottom of the table.
Clarbeston Road 5–2 St Ishmaels
Clarbeston Road cruised to a 5–2 victory over St Ishmaels at Knock Field. Ben John missed an early penalty for Clarbeston but redeemed himself by assisting Jake Wesley’s equaliser. Laurie Haworth and Dan Rees found the net, with Wesley adding a second to complete the scoring for Clarbeston. St Ishmaels’ captain Brennan Devonald netted twice, but his side dropped into the relegation zone.
Monkton Swifts 1–4 Hakin United
Hakin United strengthened their title challenge with a 4–1 win over Monkton Swifts. Dylan Davies put Monkton ahead early, but Hakin responded through Ryan Wilson and Mark Jones to take a 2–1 lead into halftime. Jay Kilby scored twice in the second half, sealing a vital away win for the Vikings.
Milford United 2–2 Pennar Robins
Milford United and Pennar Robins played out an entertaining 2–2 draw at Marble Hall. Liam Davies gave Milford the lead, but Jamie Wilkes equalised for Pennar. Dan James then put Pennar ahead, only for Leon Davies to bring Milford level again. Milford’s Sam Davies was sent off late, but neither side could find a winner in the closing stages.
Tenby 2–3 Kilgetty
Kilgetty staged a thrilling comeback to defeat derby rivals Tenby 3–2 at the Clicketts. Joe Leahy opened the scoring for Tenby, with Jordan Gorman quickly levelling for Kilgetty. Scott Ferney restored Tenby’s lead before halftime. However, Kilgetty turned the tide in the final ten minutes as Lloyd Hughes equalised, and captain Richard Cope struck the decisive winner to secure a dramatic victory.
Sport
Local rugby action: Thrills, wins, and tough battles across divisions
Crymych 19 – Llanelli Wanderers 33
Llanelli Wanderers showcased their title aspirations with a decisive bonus-point victory over Crymych. Despite a spirited effort from the Preseli Men, who trailed 12-18 at halftime, they couldn’t capitalize on second-half opportunities.
Crymych’s hooker Lee Griffiths scored two tries in the first half, and a late penalty try offered some consolation. The Wanderers, under Sean Gale’s guidance, proved dominant with tries from Rhydian Morgan, Lewis Jones, Rhodri Owens, and Sam Icke. Jones contributed two conversions and three penalties, keeping the Wanderers in contention at the top of the table. Crymych remain in a relegation battle.
Division One (West)
Pontarddulais 17 – Tenby United 26
Tenby United maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard-earned seventh victory of the season, defeating a determined Pontarddulais side. Though missing a bonus point, the disciplined Seasiders secured a valuable win.
Lloyd Thomas played a pivotal role, kicking four penalties and converting tries by Gwion Jones and Rob Luly. Acting skipper Jones shone with an individual effort. Pontarddulais responded with tries from Ethan Miles, Lewis Edwards, and Iwan Evans. Tenby stay second in the league with a game in hand over leaders Aberystwyth.
Division Two (West)
Whitland 13 – Fishguard & Goodwick 10
A late Harry Fuller penalty sealed Whitland’s narrow victory in a fiercely contested clash with Fishguard and Goodwick. The Seagulls led 7-3 at halftime after Ben John’s converted try answered Johnny Thomas’s penalty.
Rhys Nicholas turned the game in Whitland’s favor with a crucial intercept try, converted by Thomas. Although Mark Jones briefly leveled the scores, Fuller’s decisive penalty secured Whitland’s fourth win of the season.
Carmarthen Athletic 23 – Milford Haven 10
Carmarthen Athletic overturned a halftime deficit to claim a solid home win over Milford Haven. The Mariners led 10-6 at the break, thanks to Robbie Jones’s converted try and a James Trueman penalty.
The Athletic surged back with 17 unanswered points, including tries from Gethin Phillips, Morgan Morse, and Deian Morgan. Zak Williams added the conversions and penalties to seal the victory. Milford missed out on a losing bonus point in their fourth defeat of the season.
Division Three (West)
Cefneithin 16 – Cardigan 29
Cardigan continued their strong form with a bonus-point win over Cefneithin. The Teifisiders led 15-6 at halftime, with Marcus Castle and Shaun Leonard crossing the try line. Leonard was instrumental, adding another try and three conversions.
John Lumb and Jack Taylor scored second-half tries as Cardigan capitalized on excellent possession. Cefneithin fought back with a try by Jonathan Morgan and three penalties from Carwyn Evans but fell short.
Division Four (West)
Llanybydder 17 – Neyland 43
Neyland dazzled with a six-try bonus-point victory over Llanybydder. Leading 24-5 at halftime, the All Blacks saw tries from Owain Evans, Matthew Coles, Owen Hamer, and skipper Georghe Williams.
Young winger Josh Watts added two second-half tries. Llanybydder responded with tries from Jake Evans, Dan Davies, and Dan Jones, converted by Ethan Sion Mathias, but Neyland’s dominance was unshaken as they returned to the top of the table.
Teirw Crymych 17 – St Davids 17
Teirw Crymych and St Davids battled to a draw in a thrilling encounter. The Bulls dominated early, building a 14-0 lead with tries from George Plummer and Trystan Griffiths, both converted by Adam Phillips.
St Davids stormed back with tries by Will James and Tom Clarke, before George Raymond’s late try leveled the scores. The conversion went wide, leaving both teams to share the points.
Dreigiau Emlyn 14 – Narberth Athletic 3
Narberth Athletic’s unbeaten run ended at Ddol Wiber as Dreigiau Emlyn’s forward strength secured a gritty win. A single forward-driven try and three penalties proved enough for the Dragons.
Athletic struggled to convert pressure into points, their only score coming from a Shane Rossiter penalty. The Dragons celebrated their third victory of the season.
Llangwm 17 – Pembroke 22
In a heated Division Four West derby, Pembroke edged out Llangwm in the first leg of the Palmer Cup at Pill Parks. The Scarlets held firm against a late surge to secure the win.
Llangwm opened strongly, with James Morgan and Dan Richards scoring tries, both converted by Harry Makepeace. Pembroke’s forwards turned the tide, with Jamie Brayford (2), Robin Badham, and Josh Greenwood crossing the line. Despite Llangwm’s late efforts, Pembroke extended their winning streak to three matches.
Sport
Pembrokeshire Vikings triumph over Port Talbot panthers
PEMBROKESHIRE VIKINGS faced a tough challenge against the formidable Port Talbot Panthers at Milford Haven RFC on Sunday afternoon. In a fiercely contested battle, the Vikings emerged as worthy winners with a final score of 33-17.
The Vikings’ try scorers included Dave Roberts, Karl Bate, Shaun Treadwell, Richard Williams, and Jack Elliott. Callum Power added to the scoreboard with four successful conversions. Karl Bate’s standout performance earned him the Man of the Match award.
A special mention goes to Sean Phillips, who made a welcome return to the team. Phillips delivered a brilliant 30-metre line break, unselfishly passing the ball to Dave Roberts, who crossed under the posts. His contribution exemplified the team spirit that defines the Vikings.
Matches between the Vikings and the Panthers are always marked by fierce rivalry, but also by strong friendships forged on and off the field. The team eagerly anticipates the return fixture in 2025.
The Vikings also extended their gratitude to Barry from Pembrokeshire College, a loyal supporter of the team. Additionally, thanks were given to sponsors Austwel LTD, Hedley Asset Management, and The Pembrokeshire Herald for their ongoing support.
Next match: A historic showdown
This Saturday, the Pembrokeshire Vikings will travel to Llandaff RFC to make history in a match against Rygbi Senedd Cymru. The team looks forward to another thrilling encounter as they continue their successful season.
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