Pembroke County edge home in a thriller

 










 

Charity Rugby Match:

 
 

Neyland 28 - Pembroke County 31

 
Venue: The Athletic Ground, Neyland
Referee: Alex Yau
Touch Judges: Charlie Watts & Nigel Gray
 
A very large crowd turned out at The Athletic Ground, Neyland, to watch the home team play host to a Pembroke County XV in the annual Valero Charity Match, which this year had a special significance because it celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the Pembroke Refinery– and an enthusiastic audience was treated to a match where total commitment, high skill levels and a game played at pace was the end product where the result was in doubt until the final moments before the county side edged home, writes Bill Carne.
 
The crowd was further boosted by the fact that in the hour prior to the kick off there was the added bonus of some excellent junior rugby enjoyed not only by their families but many others who had turned up for the main event and marvelled at the skills shown by the under 7 tag teams from Neyland, Fishguard & Goodwick and Pembroke Dock Harlequins – and at under 9 level teams from Neyland, Pembroke Dock Harlequins and Pembroke showed some of the developments of the game coached to players who were two years older.
 
The game was billed as a friendly in the locality, albeit that the teams were competing for the Valero Diamon Jubilee Trophy, but it was anything but that from the outset and with such commitment shown as fortuned ebbed and flowed, with The County taking an early lead when talented Milford Haven centre James Williams sped through from near the 22 after Craig Benett cleverly created the space with a long pass.
 
But the lead was short-lived because the Neyland pack, with the Evans brothers Owain and Iestyn, plus Ben James and Alex Swales to the fore, cleverly set the platform with a series f drives before Owen Hamer and Harri Williams, looking good at half back, put Tom Hughes on a charge to the line before Williams converted.
 
The lead changed hands again, though, when the County team stormed up the slope and centre Josh Thomas found some space and his overhead pass eventually allowed Milford Haven prop Aaron Mayne to score from close range.
 
Back came Neyland to lead 14-10 when a clever cross kick from his own 22 found Tom Hughes lurking with intent wide on the opposite flank and he sped the length of the field, to show why he has been a regular with Glamorgan Wanderers over recent times, and again Willaims added the extra points – as he did near the interval hen good work up front by Andrew Slark, Dan Hart, Luke Griffiths-Dawes and skipper Owain Evans did the ground-work before Alex Codd, back playing well in the centre, sliced through for The All Blacks’ third converted try.
 
The county team again started the second half as Whitland’s winger Trystan Rees crossed the whitewash for a quality try converted by Euan McDonald (Pembroke Dock) but great defensive wok by Neyland as they twice held up attacks over their own goal line prevented any further County success until another Borderer in Zac France-Miller ploughed through for Luke Alderwick (Pembroke) to convert and put his team back in front again.
 
Neyland refused to submit however, and Tom Hughes assured himself of the ‘Man of the Match’ award when they pitched camp in the top 22 for a while and he effortlessly shrugged off two tackles and strode to the line, with Harri Williams adding his fourth conversion.
 
The question asked was “Could Neyland hang on?” but the answer was ‘No’ because veteran Tenby prop Geoff Martin grabbed a late try which Alderwick converted - but there was still time for a series of last-ditch Neyland thrust in the top right corner, in front of a crowd packed there and eager to see the underdogs succeed – but they were denied by the whistle of referee Alex Yau, who had a good game in control of a match that really was worth going to see!
 
County XV skipper Marc Jones received the Valero Refinery Diamond Jubilee Cup and Tom Hughes was awarded the man of the match trophy to round off a great day of rugby.
 
Stephen Thornton, who is Public Affairs Manager at Valero, told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk
“We are again thrilled to be linked with one of our clubs in Pembrokeshire for this third special rugby day and are delighted by the support provided by the Neyland club, officials, coaches and players as we aim to not only benefit the club but our chosen charity, which this year is the ASD Family Help charity which does so much to promote awareness of Autism in our community.”
 
Neyland chairman/president Robert Johns added,
“This has been a very good day where were pleased to be part of a match to raise funds for such a worthwhile charity  and I was proud of the way Steve Evans and our players helped produce a competitive match where such good-quality rugby was played by both teams. It was certainly a valuable experience for our young players and it is good to see such a big company involved in the game at local level.”



 
Neyland: Owain Evans (Capt); Iestyn Evans; Mark James; Andrew Slark;  Luke Griffiths-Dawes; Alex Swales; Ben James;  Dan Hart;  Owen Hamer; Harri Williams; George Evans; Tom Hughes; Alex Codd; Liam Rees; Jake Griffiths; Kieron Cookson; Lewis Hallett, Joel Thomas; Jasper Endean; Daf Edwards; Simon Phillips; Callum O’Riordan; Matthew Richards.
 

Pembroke County XV: Marc Jones (Capt); Lloyd Davies; Aaron Mayne; Will Edwards; Zac Davies; Zac France-Miller; Dewi Williams; jack Mallitte; Jamie Branford; Will Delaney; Geoff Martin; Nicky Guymer; Dai Beynon: Craig Barnett; Euan McDonald; Iwan Thomas; Trystan Rees; James Jones; Ollie Bujega; Luke Alderwick; Josh Thomas; Rhys Nicholas; Robbie Jones; James Williams; Tristan Jones.












 

Pre-Match Junior Rugby:

 
Earlier in the afternoon the junior players had also helped hugely to create a rugby day to remember and every one of those taking part were a credit to their families, clubs and coaches and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk are proud to name them all!






 

Junior Teams:

 
Fishguard & Goodwick Under 7s
Leo-Jack Marshall; Layla-Luna Marshall; Alex Morris-Seex; Logan Rellie; Beauden Marshall; Theo Phillips; James Scrimshaw; Harry Brown; Erin James; Jack Duggan.
Coach: Shane Marshall.
 
Neyland Under 7s:
Olivia Slark; Rory Davies; Cali Kinnersley; Deri Dixon; Riley Banner; Riley Beavis-Blackwell; George Phillips; Aeron Chandler; Jaxon Barrett; Felix Kummer; Iris Howells; Orla Gunning; Bertie Owens.
Coaches: Martin Davies; Andrew Slark; Jack Kinnersley.
 
 
Pembroke Dock Harlequins Under 7s:
Ethan Gwyther; Teddy Barnett; Will Gardner; Tommy John; Frank Cawley; Jesse Jones; Baxter John; Dylan Osbourne; Bibi Goodrich; Gracie Maher; William Cheshire-Davies; Charlie Jenkins; Elis John; Jason Austin-Quinn; Monty Lewis. 
Coaches:  Stephen Gwyther; Richard Gardner.
 
Neyland Under 9s:
Lucas Banner; George Grant; Iestyn Jones; Oscar Adams; Billy Adams; Zane Hart; Sebastian Kummer; Jac Jones; Rico Power; Logan O’Dwyer; Harley O’Dwyer.
Coaches: Nathan Banner; Ryan Grant.
 
 
Pembroke Dock Harlequins Under 9s:
Reuben Parsons; William Scourfield; Oscar Davies; Jake Davies; Morgan Davies; Theo Johnson; Logan Williams; Mathew Durham; Parker Davies; Finley Williams; Archie Christie; Jamie Edwards; Caleb Goldsworthy; Max Scott; Brody Crocker; Josh Gregory,
Coaches: Barry Parsons; Gareth Scourfield.
 
Pembroke Under 9s:
Ben Griffiths; Dougie Nevinson; Ollie Beynon; Mick McGilloway; Zak Hechter; Charlie Watson; Charlie Cope; Mike Fielding; Noah Muller; Mason Dewhurst.
Coaches: Matthew Dewhurst; Dai Beynon.