Sport
Davies scores twice to help Bluebirds see off Barry
JORDAN Davies scored twice as Haverfordwest County beat Barry Town United 2-0 at the Ogi Bridge Meadow yesterday, a result which guarantees there will be JD Cymru Premier football in Pembrokeshire next season.
The on-loan forward gave the Bluebirds the lead after 19 minutes with a well-taken finish, before striking again just before the hour mark to give County a priceless three points.
Nicky Hayen’s side performed excellently throughout, and the margin of victory could have been even wider. However, the hosts did have goalkeeper Lee Idzi to thank for saving Kayne McLaggon’s second-half penalty to maintain the clean sheet.
The result is enough to lift the Bluebirds up to seventh, and top of the Play-Off Conference, after Cardiff Metropolitan lost 2-0 at Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Manager Hayen made two changes to the team that beat Cefn Druids 6-1 last Saturday, with Kurtis Rees and Ricky Watts coming in for the suspended Alaric Jones and Kyle Patten, who failed a fitness test before kick-off.
It was the visitors who had the first opportunity of the game, with McLaggon seeing his shot from inside the area well saved by the alert Idzi.
This was as close as the Dragons would come to scoring in the first-half, as County went on to control the tempo and create the better chances.
Jordan Davies, who was heavily involved throughout, played a teasing ball across the face of goal but couldn’t pick out a teammate, before Kieran Lewis’ first time effort went wide after Ben Fawcett had done well to keep the ball alive.
County were nearly presented with a gift when Jordan Davies’ ball into the area was fumbled by Mike Lewis, however, despite being nearby, Lewis couldn’t react in time as the ball went wide.
The Bluebirds were ahead just minutes later though, when Fawcett’s ball down the right touchline put Jordan Davies into space, and he advanced into the area before turning Evan Press inside out and firing past Lewis to send the home crowd wild.
It was very nearly 2-0 not long after when Jordan Davies’ curling effort from the left side went narrowly wide of the right post.
Hayen’s side were flowing with confidence at this point, as Henry Jones’ shot from inside the area took a deflection before being pushed behind by Lewis.
There were two further opportunities for the Bluebirds to double their advantage before half-time, with Fawcett’s cross picking out an unmarked Jordan Davies, who was unable to get the desired connection on his shot, before Fawcett’s header was blocked on the goal line.
Marcus Day went close with a shot from distance which flew just over the crossbar 10 minutes before half-time, as County headed into the changing rooms with a deserved lead.
Keen to find the second goal early in the second-half to take full control of the contest, the Bluebirds started quickly with Jazz Richards’ ball into the area nearly finding Fawcett, as Lewis came out to gather.
Moments later, though, they did find the second goal when Lewis’ pass upfield played Fawcett into acres of space, and his pinpoint cross into the area picked out Jordan Davies who beat Mikey George to the ball to sweep home and give County some breathing space.
It looked as though the lead was going to be halved when the visitors were awarded a penalty shortly after the hour mark, as Kurtis Rees was adjudged to have fouled Clayton Green inside the area. However, Idzi was equal to McLaggon’s spot kick, as he got down low to his left to push the ball away and keep the scoreline at 2-0.
The Dragons striker had another opportunity to bring his side back into the game not long after, but Jazz did brilliantly to get back and block his shot from inside the area.
Rhys Kavanagh sent a shot inches wide of the left post as Gavin Chesterfield’s side continued to push forward, but the Bluebirds defence battled hard to ensure they maintained a clean sheet.
Substitute Jack Wilson sent a shot just wide in the closing stages as County looked to finish with a flourish. However, the game was to finish in unfortunate circumstances as substitute Alhagi Touray Sisay had to be carried off the field on a stretcher after sustaining an injury to his collar bone.
The game, understandably, rather petered out after this, but it was Hayen’s side who took all three points having turned in an excellent display when it was needed the most.
The Bluebirds are next in action on Monday (April 18), when we travel to Deeside Stadium to take on Connah’s Quay Nomads, before returning home to face Cardiff Metropolitan in our final game of the season on April 23 at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.
Pembrokeshire sailor Micky Beckett has once again cemented his place among the sport’s elite, securing his fourth consecutive victory in the ILCA 7 men’s dinghy class at the prestigious Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta.
Hailing from the coastal village of Solva, Beckett sealed the title with a day to spare — a remarkable feat that underscores his dominance on the international circuit and sends a strong signal ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic campaign.
His win was one of nine medals earned by the British Sailing Team in Mallorca, with Great Britain finishing top of the medal table ahead of Australia and China.
Beckett, who has steadily climbed the ranks in recent years, is now one of the standout figures in British sailing. Known for his consistency and calm approach on the water, the 29-year-old has made the ILCA 7 fleet his own, and his continued success reflects the strength of both his individual talent and the support around him.
“If this week is anything to go by, the future is bright for the British Sailing Team,” said performance director Mark Robinson — a nod to Beckett’s influence and the broader success of the squad.
While Beckett led the charge, fellow Brit Emma Wilson also delivered a standout performance. The two-time Olympic bronze medallist won 14 of 21 races in the iQFOiL foiling windsurfing class, earning her the prestigious Princess Sofia Trophy — the event’s top honour.
“It’s crazy – I wasn’t expecting it at all,” said Wilson, 25. “There are names on this trophy like Ben Ainslie, people I’ve looked up to since I was a kid. To have my name on there now is pretty cool.”
The British team also took home gold in the 49erFX (Saskia Tidey and Freya Black), 470 (Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris), and Nacra 17 (John Gimson and Anna Burnet). There were silver medals for Lily Young (Formula Kite) and Elliot Hanson (ILCA 7), while Ellie Aldridge (Formula Kite) and Daisy Collingridge (ILCA 6) each claimed bronze.
Kilgetty 0 – Goodwick United 3
GOODWICK United are just one game away from completing a flawless league campaign after a dominant 3-0 victory away at Kilgetty.
Nathan Greene opened the scoring with a thumping header on 13 minutes, meeting Will Haworth’s pinpoint corner. Haworth then turned scorer just before half-time, glancing in Luke Hayward’s free-kick to double the lead.
Rhys Jones wrapped things up from the penalty spot after Rhys Dalling was brought down in the box.
Manager Chris O’Sullivan now turns his attention to the final fixture at Phoenix Park against Tenby, where his side will aim to complete an unbeaten league season.
Pennar Robins stay in top-four hunt
Pennar Robins 3 – Clarbeston Road 1
PENNAR Robins kept their hopes of a top-three finish alive with a solid 3-1 win over Clarbeston Road at Bush Camp.
Ben Adams struck twice, either side of a Jamie Wilkes goal, to seal the win. Adams and Wilkes gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at the break, but Richard Bevan pulled one back for the visitors in the second half.
Adams netted his second in the 88th minute to put the result beyond doubt and keep Pennar in touching distance of Monkton Swifts, with two matches left to play.
Swifts confirm Milford relegation
Milford United 0 – Monkton Swifts 4
MILFORD United’s relegation from Division One was confirmed on Saturday as Monkton Swifts cruised to a 4-0 win at Marble Hall.
Paul Miller was instrumental for the visitors, assisting goals for Billy Davis and Liam Butland before scoring one himself. Jack Clarke added a fourth after the break, converting from Ben Steele’s cross.
Monkton remain third, just ahead of Pennar Robins, with both sides battling for a top-three finish in the final weeks.
Milford now turn their attention to the Senior Cup Final against Hakin United.
Wizards and Vikings share derby spoils
Merlins Bridge 0 – Hakin United 0
A TIGHT and tense derby between Merlins Bridge and Hakin United ended in a goalless draw at the Pembrokeshire Sports Ground.
Both teams had opportunities, with Mark Jones going close for Hakin and Mason Dolling striking the side netting. For the Wizards, substitute Ben Davies had the ball in the net, only for the flag to go up for offside.
Hakin now shift focus to the Senior Cup Final against Milford United, while Merlins Bridge can take heart from a resilient defensive performance.
Narberth Athletic 61 – Llangwm 10
NARBERTH Athletic delivered a dominant display to defeat Llangwm 61-10 in their latest Division Four (West) fixture.
Llangwm showed promise in the early exchanges, particularly at scrum time, where their front row of Ieuan Power, Ben Elrick, and Matthew Rees competed well. However, it was the home side who controlled the scoreboard.
Narberth opened the scoring after 31 minutes with a converted try from prop Shay Norcross. That breakthrough was followed by a blistering five-minute spell in which captain Harry Phillips crossed three times, all converted by Shane Rossiter, giving the hosts a commanding 28-0 lead. Llangwm responded before the break with a penalty from Breig Matthews.
In the second half, Narberth extended their lead with tries from Brad Cramb and Stephen J Brown, the latter again converted by Rossiter. Llangwm briefly rallied with a converted try from No 8 Matthew Rees, but Narberth’s bench provided a strong finish. Will Davies touched down twice, while Rossiter added another try and two further conversions, finishing the match with a personal haul of 21 points.
St Davids 31 – Pembroke 24
ST DAVIDS sealed a league double over Pembroke with a thrilling 31-24 home win, a match that also marked the unveiling of the John James Memorial Scoreboard, in honour of a much-loved club stalwart.
The visitors struck first through a penalty from Jarred Sharratt, but St Davids hit back with a try from captain Nathan Foster, converted by Bob Froy. Pembroke regained the lead when Barry Alderman-John crossed for a try in his final game, also converted by Sharratt.
St Davids responded before the interval through player-coach Morgan Griffiths, who scored his first try of the afternoon, again converted by Froy.
The second half saw the momentum swing back and forth. Evan Davies put Pembroke back in front with a try, before a Froy penalty levelled the scores. A converted try from Fraser James gave Pembroke the lead once more, but Griffiths proved the difference, completing his hat-trick with two more tries—both converted by Froy—to secure victory for the Saints.
The win also saw St Davids lift the Willington Slate, an annual trophy contested between the two clubs.
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