THE latest round of matches in the division 4 west  saw some high-scoring affairs and tightly contested fixtures, as the table starts to take shape early in the season. Neyland and Narberth Athletic continue to set the pace, while Llangwm’s struggles continued, and Teirw Crymych recorded a dominant win. Here’s a breakdown of all the action.

Llangwm 17-19 Dreigiau Emlyn

In a closely fought contest, Dreigiau Emlyn narrowly edged Llangwm 19-17. Llangwm put up a brave fight, with tries from Calum Jenkins and George James, both converted by Harry Makepeace, who also added a penalty. However, Dreigiau Emlyn’s scorers were not available, though their performance was enough to secure the victory. Llangwm, despite showing flashes of quality, remain winless after three games.

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 22-40 Neyland

Neyland continued their unbeaten run with a commanding 40-22 victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins. Damien Miller was in fine form for the Quins, scoring two tries, while Ben Gibby also crossed the line. Ben Hathaway added a conversion and a penalty. However, Neyland proved too strong, with Ben Williams, Josh Watts, and Owen Hamer each contributing tries, while Oli Rothero starred with two tries of his own. Rothero also slotted over three conversions and three penalties, guiding his team to a comprehensive win and cementing their position at the top of the table.

St Davids 0-40 Narberth Athletic

Narberth Athletic dominated St Davids in a one-sided affair, winning 40-0. The scoring started early, with Harry Phillips and Shane Rossiter each scoring two tries. Harry Williams and Kyle Williams also crossed the line, while Rossiter’s reliable kicking saw him add five conversions. St Davids, who struggled to make an impact, were simply outclassed by a Narberth side that looks like serious title contenders after their second consecutive victory.

Teirw Crymych 42-21 Llanybydder

Teirw Crymych produced one of the performances of the weekend with a resounding 42-21 win over Llanybydder. Tomos Lewis led the charge with two tries, while Hedd Jones, Griff Lloyd, Luke Freebury, and Osian Thomas each scored a try apiece. Elgan Wilson was flawless with the boot, converting all six tries. Llanybydder did respond, with Osian Roberts crossing the line twice and Will Evans also adding a try. Roberts converted all three scores, but Teirw Crymych were too strong on the day, earning their first win of the season.

A THRILLING set of results unfolded in the Pembrokeshire Second Division, with the league table starting to take shape. Teams across the division were involved in high-scoring and closely contested fixtures, making the battle for promotion and survival more intense. Below is a breakdown of the key matches from the latest round of games.

Broad Haven 0-5 Lawrenny

Broad Haven’s struggles continued as they were outclassed by Lawrenny in a 5-0 defeat. Owen James delivered an outstanding performance, netting a hat-trick. Matthew Lewis and Joe Kidney added to the scoreline, leaving Broad Haven rooted to the bottom of the table, still without a win. Lawrenny will be boosted by the result as their first win lifts them off the bottom.

Camrose 3-2 Monkton Swifts II

League leaders Camrose were pushed hard but maintained their excellent form with a 3-2 victory over Monkton Swifts II. Rudy Poole was the star, scoring twice to secure the win, keeping Camrose at the top of the table. Monkton Swifts put up a fight but remain mid-table.

Carew II 0-4 Neyland

Neyland continued their strong push for promotion with a comfortable 4-0 win against Carew II. Ben Gale bagged a brace, while Simon Ellis added to the tally, alongside an own goal from Carew. Neyland stay hot on the heels of Camrose in the race for the top spot, while Carew remain in a difficult position near the foot of the table.

Fishguard Sports 4-3 Solva

In an action-packed match, Fishguard Sports edged Solva 4-3 to keep up their challenge near the top of the table. Luke Thomas scored twice, supported by goals from Adam Lawrence and Ieuan Llewellyn. Solva’s efforts included two goals from Leo Dinmore and a strike from Josh Bland, but they came up just short in this seven-goal thriller.

Johnston 3-3 Narberth

A six-goal thriller saw Johnston and Narberth share the points in a 3-3 draw. Craig Bendall, Joey George, and Steve Mills were on target for Johnston, while Steffan Williams’ brace and Chris Brown’s strike earned Narberth a valuable point. Both teams remain in the middle of the table, with Johnston now hoping for more consistency in future matches.

Merlins Bridge II 4-1 Hakin United II

Merlins Bridge II produced a fine performance to beat Hakin United II 4-1, with Daniel Pearce netting twice. Liam Manwaring also got on the scoresheet, while Hakin contributed to their own downfall with an own goal. Henry Mayhew scored Hakin’s consolation goal, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a heavy defeat. Merlins Bridge move up the table, keeping their hopes of a strong season alive.

The results mean Camrose remain top with 16 points after their narrow win, continuing their unbeaten form. While Neyland are second, level on points with the leaders.

Fishguard Sports are also close behind with 15 points, just one point off the leaders, making it a tight three-horse race at the minute.

At the opposite end of the table Broad Haven FC continue to struggle, still searching for their first win of the season, with only two points after seven games.

AT Rally Chile, Welsh driver Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin in their Toyota GR Yaris finished a commendable second, just 23.4 seconds behind team-mate Kalle Rovanpera from Finland. Despite formidable performances throughout the weekend, Evans couldn’t surpass the leading pace set by Rovanpera, who extended his advantage to 15.1 seconds by the final day.

Belgian racer Thierry Neuville edged closer to clinching his first World Rally Championship title by finishing fourth in his Hyundai. Neuville’s consistent performance throughout the season places him at the top of the standings with only two races remaining.

The rally, marked by challenging conditions including dense fog on Saturday and tricky tracks on Sunday, saw some of the season’s most dramatic driving. While Evans showcased some of Sunday’s best driving, Rovanpera proved unbeatable, dominating the field with his pace and precision.

Estonian driver Ott Tanak ascended to second in the overall standings after benefiting from the misfortune of Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, who faced suspension issues on Saturday forcing him to retire. However, Ogier made a strong comeback on Sunday, claiming victory in all four power stages to boost his points, ensuring he remains a contender in the championship.

With the 2024 season nearing its conclusion, Neuville looks poised to secure the championship as the teams prepare for the upcoming Central Europe Rally, traversing through Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Austria, followed by the final event in Japan. The tight race and the challenging conditions promise an exciting conclusion to this year’s championship.

Provisional World Rally Championship Standings after Rally Chile:

1. Thierry Neuville (Belgium) – Hyundai, 207 points
2. Ott Tanak (Estonia) – Hyundai, 178 points
3. Sebastien Ogier (France) – Toyota, 166 points
4. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain) – Toyota, 161 points
5. Adrien Fourmaux (France) – Ford, 150 points
6. Kalle Rovanpera (Finland) – Toyota, 114 points