Sport
Neyland win to dent Carew’s title hopes

NEYLAND picked up their second win in a row on Saturday (Aug 6) as they beat Carew by 72 runs.
The result leaves Carew 25 points behind leaders Cresselly with only two games left to play.
Carew won the toss and chose to field but they watched on as Neyland scored 259-2 from their 45 overs.
Sean Hannon and Lewis Page opened up and shared 66 runs for the first wicket.
Page hit six fours as he scored 35 but he was then trapped leg before by Kerry Waters.
Hannon and Ashley Sutton took over and they shared 82 runs for the second wicket to put their side in a commanding position.
Hannon hit seven fours and a six in his score of 70 but he was caught by Scott Richards off the bowling of Rhys Davies.
Sutton was joined by Paul Murray and the pair shared an unbeaten third-wicket stand worth 111 runs.
Murray only face 23 balls but he hit four fours and a six as he finished unbeaten on 42.
Sutton had hit three fours and six sixes as he finished not out on 101 from 81 balls.
Scott Richards and Rhys Davies shared 31 runs for Carew as they began their reply but Ross Hardy made the breakthough as he bowled Richards on a score of 19.
Davies and Brian Hall added another 34 runs for the second wicket before Davies was trapped leg before by Gary Lloyd on a score of 22.
Nick Davies then joined Hall and the pair added another 33 runs for the third wicket. Davies hit two fours in his score of 12 but he was caught by Paul Murray off the bowling of Sean Hannon.
Brian Hall then reached his fifty as he and Ceri Brace shared another 30-run partnership. Brace scored 10 (two fours) before he was caught by Lewis Page off the bowling of Hannon.
Hannon then bowled Tom Scourfield as Carew were reduced to 138-5.
Iori Hicks made a late score of 15 but he was caught by Gregg Miller off the bowling of Jack John.
Brian Hall was joined by Ethan Hall and the pair added another 30 runs to close the game out but Carew had fallen short of their target.
Brian Hall hit eight fours as he finished unbeaten on 90.
On Saturday, August 13, Neyland host Cresselly while Carew host St Ishmaels.
Sport
From Cymru Premier to Champions League: The rise of Nicky Hayen

AT the time, it seemed an unexpected appointment for semi-professional Haverfordwest County. Now, just three years later, the man who arrived in west Wales on New Year’s Eve 2021 has taken Club Brugge to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Nicky Hayen, the first Belgian to manage in the Cymru Premier, is now one of the most sought-after managers in Europe. Having guided his side past Europa League holders Atalanta in the play-offs, his rapid ascent has caught the attention of the footballing world.
Some pundits have even suggested the 44-year-old could be in line for the Liverpool job when Arne Slot departs.
Few of the 273 fans at Bridge Meadow Stadium for Hayen’s biggest home victory – a 6-1 win over Cefn Druids – could have imagined that their manager would soon be preparing for Champions League clashes against Aston Villa.
But for Haverfordwest chairman Rob Edwards, who remains in regular contact with Hayen, his rise comes as no surprise.

Work ethic and early impressions
“The guy was a workaholic,” Edwards said. “He lived in my house while in Wales, and I’d wake up at 8:00am to find him watching match footage. When I went to bed at 11:00pm, he was still at it.”
A former defender with more than 400 appearances in Belgium and the Netherlands, Hayen arrived in Haverfordwest via coaching roles in Belgium and Saudi Arabia. His time as technical director and interim manager at Waasland-Beveren ended in relegation during the Covid-affected season.
Introduced to Edwards through a mutual contact in Belgium, Hayen impressed the Haverfordwest board with his detailed analysis and tactical vision.
“We just wanted to listen to every word he said,” Edwards recalled. “We knew he was the right person for the job and did everything we could to bring him in.”
Transforming Haverfordwest
Hayen’s influence was immediate. He took Haverfordwest from second-bottom to the brink of European qualification within six months, introducing a structured, possession-based style rarely seen in the Welsh top flight.
“He didn’t over-coach the players,” Edwards explained. “Instead, he gave them detailed opposition analysis and focused on their welfare. He got the best out of players in a way we didn’t expect.”
Despite the culture shock of moving to a small market town in Pembrokeshire, Hayen embraced his new surroundings.
“There are 14,000 people in Haverfordwest. It’s a beautiful place, but it was all about football for him,” said Edwards. “He is a family man, doesn’t drink, and stays off social media. He just works hard.”
The move to Brugge and European success
Edwards always knew Hayen wouldn’t stay forever. When Club Brugge came calling in 2022, offering him the chance to take charge of their Under-23s, the move was inevitable.
By 2023, he was assistant manager to Scott Parker before stepping in as interim boss when Ronny Deila left in March 2024. With Club Brugge struggling in the league, Hayen led them to nine wins from their last ten matches to clinch the Belgian title.
Former Ajax and Anderlecht striker Jan Mulder predicted in May 2024 that Hayen would soon be on the radar of Europe’s elite clubs.
“Next year, he will play a series of matches in the Champions League, attracting the attention of Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern and Manchester,” Mulder wrote.
His words have proven accurate. Hayen’s Club Brugge defeated Villa, Sporting, and Sturm Graz in the group stage, while also holding Juventus and Celtic. They then dispatched Atalanta in the play-offs with a commanding 5-2 aggregate win.
What next for Hayen?
Ahead of their Champions League clash with Aston Villa, Hayen spoke about how he continues to draw inspiration from his late mother, who passed away four years ago.
For Edwards, Hayen’s rise is a testament to his relentless dedication.
“Club Brugge have had better squads on paper, but he gets the best out of his players,” he said. “He is fanatical and leads by example. The younger players are thriving under him.”
Hayen’s short time in Wales also laid the foundation for future success at Haverfordwest. Under Tony Pennock, they qualified for Europe in 2023 for the first time in 19 years.
“It’s fantastic for the club to be linked with someone like him,” Edwards said. “And this is just the beginning. If he keeps going, he will be managing at the highest level soon enough.”
With the biggest clubs in Europe watching, Nicky Hayen’s journey from Bridge Meadow to the Champions League knockout stages may only be the start of an even greater story.
Sport
South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Friendly League catch-up results – Week 2

THE LATEST round of catch-up fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association has seen St Twynnells secure a dominant win over Hundleton, while Llanteg and Lamphey battled it out in a close contest.
Results:
- St Twynnells 10 – Hundleton 0
- Llanteg 7 – Lamphey 3
- St Twynnells 8 – Kilgetty 2
Following these matches, the updated league standings are as follows:
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Williamston | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 267 | 135 |
Carew | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 91 | 90 |
St Johns | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 71 | 88 |
Cosheston | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 42 | 84 |
Hundleton | 17 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 57 | 83 |
Reynalton | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 83 |
Llanteg | 17 | 6 | 1 | 10 | -48 | 81 |
Badgers | 17 | 6 | 1 | 10 | -2 | 73 |
St Twynnells | 16 | 5 | 1 | 10 | -125 | 66 |
Lamphey | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | -119 | 56 |
Kilgetty | 15 | 4 | 0 | 11 | -181 | 51 |
The competition remains tight as teams continue their push towards the top of the table. More fixtures are scheduled in the coming weeks as the league heads towards its final stages.
Sport
The magic of ‘night golf’ lights up Tenby Golf Club

TENBY GOLF CLUB hosted an electrifying Night Golf event on Friday evening in aid of the Paul Sartori Foundation, delivering an evening of excitement, camaraderie, and glowing golf balls lighting up the night sky.
Club Captain Heather Morgan invited Club Night Golf (CNG) to run the event, with George Lever traveling from Surrey to ensure everything went smoothly. Thanks to unseasonably mild and dry weather, the course was transformed into a magical spectacle, with illuminated fairways, greens, and bunkers creating a truly unique playing experience.

The event followed a Texas Scramble format, adding to the fun and challenge as players navigated the course in complete darkness, some with head torches, others lighting up their trolleys, and a few relying on traditional flashlights.
One of the standout performances came from Jemma Nand-Lal, who clinched the Nearest the Pin prize, outshining even the pros. The night’s champions, Bev and Adrian Palmer, Lynne Campbell, and Mandy Jones claimed victory with an impressive five-shot finish.

With no lost players, no injuries, and a clubhouse buzzing with excitement afterward, one question dominated the conversation: “When’s the next one?” Given the overwhelming enthusiasm, a follow-up event seems inevitable.
All proceeds on the night were donated to the Paul Sartori Foundation.
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