Sport

Goals galore and dramatic encounters in Pembrokeshire Division One

Published

1 year ago

August 28, 2024

Football fans across Pembrokeshire were treated to an exhilarating midweek round of Division One action, with a flurry of goals and nail-biting contests that showcased the high level of competition in this year’s league. The matches saw a mix of emphatic victories, hard-fought draws, and a clear statement of intent from teams looking to make their mark on the season.

Clarbeston Road 1-1 Kilgetty: Stalemate reflects balanced battle

The encounter between Clarbeston Road and Kilgetty ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that reflects the evenly matched nature of the game. Clarbeston Road, the current Senior Cup holders, came into the match with high expectations, but Kilgetty proved to be resilient opponents. Laurie Haworth put Clarbeston Road ahead with a well-taken goal, but their lead was short-lived as Jordan Gorman equalised for Kilgetty, ensuring that both teams left with a share of the spoils. Despite chances on both ends, neither side could find a decisive breakthrough, leaving the contest finely poised.

Goodwick United 5-1 St Ishmaels: Champions show their class

Reigning champions Goodwick United delivered a commanding performance, sweeping aside newly promoted St Ishmaels with a 5-1 victory. Goodwick’s attacking prowess was on full display, with Rhys Dalling and Rhys Jones each finding the net twice, while Sean Pemberton added a fifth to underline their dominance. St Ishmaels, affectionately known as Tish, managed to pull one back through Adam Kingsbeer, but it was little more than a consolation in a match that highlighted the stark difference in quality between the top flight and the second division. Tish, still finding their feet at this level, will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid being overwhelmed in the matches to come.

Herbrandston 0-10 Hakin United: Vikings run riot

Hakin United sent shockwaves through the league with a resounding 10-0 demolition of local rivals Herbrandston. It was a day to forget for the Herbie as they were simply no match for a rampant Hakin side. Shane Walsh and Justin Harding both helped themselves to hat-tricks, with Walsh’s clinical finishing and Harding’s blistering pace proving too much for the Herbie defence. The onslaught didn’t stop there, as Kieran King, Ben Aldred, Jordan Kilby, and Ryan Wilson all got their names on the scoresheet, underlining Hakin United’s status as genuine title contenders this season. For newly promoted Herbrandston, the step up to Division One has been harsh, and they will need to find solutions quickly to avoid further humiliation.

Monkton Swifts 3-3 Merlins Bridge: Six-goal thriller ends in a draw

Monkton Swifts and Merlins Bridge played out one of the most entertaining matches of the night, with a thrilling 3-3 draw that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Will Davis opened the scoring for Monkton Swifts, while Paul Miller added a brace, giving the hosts a solid platform. However, Merlins Bridge, showing great tenacity, fought back with David Cromwell scoring twice and Liam Manwaring securing a crucial third goal. Both teams will feel they had chances to win the game, but ultimately, the match ended in a draw, a fair result given the ebb and flow of the contest. This match was a perfect example of the competitive nature of Pembrokeshire’s Division One, where no team can afford to rest on their laurels.

Pennar Robins 1-1 Tenby: Defences dominate in tight contest

Pennar Robins and Tenby could not be separated in a tightly contested 1-1 draw. Jamie Wilkes, returning to Pennar Robins, marked his comeback with a goal, but his effort was cancelled out by a penalty from Tenby’s Noe Leahy. Both teams showed solid defensive organisation, making it difficult for either side to find clear scoring opportunities. As the match progressed, it became apparent that one moment of brilliance or a mistake could tip the balance, but in the end, a draw was a fair reflection of a game where defences were on top.

Milford United 0-2 Carew: Carew secure valuable away victory

Carew continued their promising start to the season with a professional 2-0 victory away at Milford United. Sonny Phillips and Leon Davies were the heroes for Carew, each finding the back of the net in a match where the visitors’ defensive solidity was matched by their efficiency in front of goal. Milford United struggled to break down a well-drilled Carew side and were ultimately punished by two well-crafted goals. The result sees Carew maintain their momentum as they look to establish themselves as one of the teams to watch in this year’s title race.

Conclusion: A competitive season in prospect

With each round of matches, it becomes increasingly clear that this season’s Division One will be fiercely contested, with no team guaranteed an easy ride. Hakin United’s crushing victory over Herbrandston has set the early pace, but with strong performances from the likes of Goodwick United and Carew, as well as the competitive draws elsewhere, the race for the title and the battle to avoid relegation promise to provide plenty of drama in the weeks and months ahead. Pembrokeshire football fans are in for a treat as the season unfolds, with every match offering the potential for excitement and unexpected twists.

News

Awards celebrate all that is good about Pembrokeshire sport

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE’S sporting community came together on Friday evening as Folly Farm hosted the annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards – a night dedicated to honouring achievements across every level, age group and discipline.

The awards recognise exceptional performances, inspiring journeys and the volunteers who keep local sport thriving behind the scenes. The ceremony was once again presented by Ceri Coleman-Phillips of BBC Wales Sport, supported by Cris Tomos.

Lifetime honour for Premier League star

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pembrokeshire’s own Simon Davies.
The former Wales winger enjoyed a distinguished Premier League career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

Davies scored in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham, won fifty-eight caps for Wales – scoring six – and captained his country during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He was named Welsh Footballer of the Year in 2002 and Fulham’s player of the season in 2007–08. After leaving the club in 2013, he returned to his boyhood side Solva AFC, famously paying £3 subs to play against St Ishmaels.

Special recognition for Wales Women’s Street Football Team

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas introduced the evening’s Special Award, honouring the players of the Wales Women’s Street Football Team for their remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo.

The squad trains in Haverfordwest and included five outstanding Pembrokeshire players – co-captains Tor Planner and Marie Tilley, alongside Claire Mantripp, Sam Lewtas and Bryony Davies. All have overcome personal challenges, including homelessness, mental health difficulties and social exclusion, yet wore the Welsh jersey with pride on the world stage.

The team was led by manager Jo Price, former Wales and Arsenal goalkeeper.
Support staff included Anji Tinley, Manager of the Garth Youth & Community Project and a Pembrokeshire County Councillor.

Cruising Free honoured after rowing the Atlantic

The Chairman’s Award for 2025 was presented by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Maureen Bowen to ‘Cruising Free’ of Neyland Rowing Club, who achieved one of the world’s toughest endurance feats – rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Miyah Periam and Polly Zipperlan completed the gruelling crossing from Lanzarote to Antigua, raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

At 32, Sophie became the first person with cystic fibrosis to row an ocean, while 70-year-old Janine became the oldest woman ever to complete the challenge. The team’s achievement was hailed as a powerful example of determination, unity and courage.

Parkrun pioneers win School Award

The School Award went to the Federation of Tavernspite and Templeton Schools – the first Parkrun School in the UK.

The federation has built a Parkrun curriculum with Parkrun UK, using the weekly event to boost physical activity, support wellbeing, and develop leadership through the Parkrun Ambassador scheme. The schools were praised for exceptional inclusion, providing adapted PE equipment, wheelchair races and strong support for disadvantaged pupils. Estyn has highlighted their work as best practice.

A strong year for Pembrokeshire sport

Summing up the event, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“My congratulations go to everyone who won awards and all those nominated. We are so lucky to have such a strong sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire, and my thanks go to all those who work so hard to ensure people of all ages and abilities can take part in the sports they love. Thanks also to our sponsors Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio for supporting this celebration each year.”

Full list of winners

Girls U16: Ava Tyrie (Brazilian Ju Jitsu – Pembroke MMA)
Boys U16: Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year: Milford Haven Hockey Club (MAIN PHOTO)
Junior Disability: Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Young Volunteer: Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School)
Junior Team: Merlin’s Bridge FC Under-14s 2024/25
Unsung Hero: Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)
Senior Team: Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Male Achievement: Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Female Achievement: Sanna Duthie (Running)
Disability Sport: Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Club Organiser: Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)
Coach of the Year: James North (Kilgetty AFC)
School Award: Tavernspite & Templeton Federation of Schools
Chairman’s Award: Cruising Free (Neyland Rowing Club)
Special Award: Street Football Wales
Lifetime Achievement: Simon Davies (Wales, Spurs, Fulham, Everton & Solva AFC)

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week ten results

Published

4 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

The Friendly League continues as Reynalton close the gap on leaders East Williamston

THE LATEST round of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League produced another mix of tight contests and emphatic victories.

Kilgetty were beaten 8–2 at home by Hundleton, while Reynalton delivered the standout performance of the week with a 10–0 win over East Williamston. Llanteg also impressed, defeating Carew 8–2.

Elsewhere, St Twynnells claimed a 7–3 win away at the Badgers, and Lamphey ran out 7–3 winners against St Johns. Cosheston had the bye.

League table – Week ten

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	8	7	0	1	+130	62
Reynalton	8	5	1	2	+64	50
Hundleton	8	4	1	3	+3	42
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	–5	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	–21	41
St Johns	8	3	1	4	–6	38
St Twynnells	8	4	0	4	–34	37
Lamphey	9	4	0	5	–15	36
Kilgetty	9	4	0	5	–49	36
Cosheston	8	3	0	5	–13	35
Carew	7	3	0	4	–54	32

Reynalton’s dominant win means they move within touching distance of leaders East Williamston, setting up an intriguing second half to the season.

Sport

South Africa run riot as Wales suffer record defeat in Cardiff

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

Wales 0–73 South Africa
WALES endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Saturday as world champions South Africa ran in 11 tries at the Principality Stadium, producing a brutal 73-0 demolition that exposed the gulf between the sides and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Welsh rugby.

The fixture, arranged outside the international window, left Wales without several first-choice players and short on experience. South Africa, by contrast, arrived in Cardiff at full strength and in ruthless form. What followed was a one-sided contest from the opening minutes to the final whistle.

First-half dominance

The Springboks established their authority early, their scrum immediately overpowering the Welsh pack and setting the tone for the afternoon. Tries from Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker and Jasper Wiese put the visitors 21-0 ahead, with Wales struggling to exit their own half and repeatedly conceding penalties under pressure.

Wales’ lineout functioned reasonably well and there were brief flashes of ambition from Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts and Rio Dyer, but every half-chance dissolved through handling errors or South Africa’s suffocating defensive line. A late surge from the Boks saw Morne van den Berg cross just before the break for a 28-0 half-time lead.

Second-half collapse

Any hopes of containment disappeared after the interval. South Africa emptied their bench—bringing on yet more power—and immediately cut through Wales again. Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (twice), Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth all scored in a relentless second half.

Wales’ discipline faltered under the pressure. Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright were both shown yellow cards, with Wainwright’s high tackle sent to the bunker for review. South Africa’s own discipline cracked late on when Etzebeth received a straight red card for making contact with the eye area of Alex Mann—an incident captain Siya Kolisi later claimed was accidental.

Reaction

Player of the match Andre Esterhuizen, who produced a series of thunderous carries and turnovers, said the Springboks “worked really hard” to complete their Autumn clean sweep, praising Wales for “never giving up”.

Kolisi was gracious in victory but said he did not want the Etzebeth incident to overshadow the performance, adding: “The only way a team gets better is by playing the best. Wales will be stronger for facing this.”

Former Wales captain Dan Biggar, working as a pundit, was blunt in his assessment. “There are players there that aren’t at this level now, and may not play this level again,” he said. “I don’t think anyone learned anything from that.”

A difficult day for Welsh rugby

For Wales, the defeat will strengthen scrutiny of the WRU’s scheduling and long-term planning. A young and inexperienced squad battled gamely in patches—Mann, Hawkins and Dyer among those showing fight—but the mismatch was stark.

A crowd of around 50,000, well below capacity, reflected the mood of supporters as another bruising year for Welsh rugby nears its end.

Head coach Warren Gatland will now attempt to piece together the positives from a chastening afternoon, but the bigger questions facing the structure of the game in Wales remain unanswered.