Micky Phillips Research Article

Second Division teams reaching the Senior Cup Final

With West Dragons being only the sixth second division side to reach the Senior Cup final, Micky Phillips looks back at the other sides to have achieved this distinction. (Note the figure in brackets following the team name indicate what league their opponents were in)
 

1949-50 – HMS Harrier – the first second division side to make the final were the Harriers who beat Narberth II (Div 2) 4-0 in the first round and then needed a replay in round two to beat Letterston (Div 1) 6-1 after the first game had ended 0-0. A 3-2 win over Clynderwen (1) in the next round was followed by a thumping 6-1 win over Hakin United (1) in the semis. The final at the Bridge Meadow saw them beat league champions Milford United 1-0 thanks to a goal by Wood. They rounded off their season by finishing second in the league and gaining promotion to the first division.
 

1979-80 – St Clears – a 3-1 win over Pennar Robins (2) in the first round saw them face Milford Athletic (1) in round two where they won 3-0 at Pill Lane thanks to goals from  (Fred Steels, Dai Pick, Anthony Howells). A 4-2 (Anthony Howells, Malcolm Revell, Neil Godden and Kevin Goldsby) success against Johnston (1) was followed up by a 2-1 semi-final victory over Narberth (1). They trailed 1-0 in this match with 10 minutes to go before a last minute Ray Williams goal saw them advance to the final. Unfortunately in the final they crashed 5-0 to league champions Merlins Bridge with two goals each for Micky Ellis and Brian Cutler and one for Dekker Thomas. Consolation for losing the cup final was winning the league by seven points.
 

1981-82 – St Ishmaels – St Ishmaels’s route to the final resulted in them in avoiding any first division side until the final and began with a 3-1 (Mark Davies, Robert Cockburn, Stuart Wood) win over St Florence (3) and a narrow 1-0 (David Cove) win over RAF Brawdy (2). A 1-0 (Billy Palmer) win over Pembroke Boro (3) in the quarters was followed by a 1-0 (Glyn Griffiths) win over Letterston (2) in the semi. They faced Johnston in the final and took the lead thanks to a Ray Proctor goal. Johnston equalised with a Gary Stephens penalty and in the 55th minute Richard James secured the win for the division one champions. They ended up fifth in the league eleven points behind champions RAF Brawdy.
 

1984-85 – Solva – Solva’s march to the final started with a 7-2 victory over Steynton United (2) and a 2-0 (Steve Summers, Matthew Raggett) victory over Fishguard Sports (1). The quarter finals saw them beat Milford Athletic (2) 4-2 (Nigel Phillips three and Steve Summers) and then in the semi-final, whilst sitting fourth from bottom of the second division, they beat division 1 league leaders New Hedges/ Saundersfoot 1-0 thanks to a Nigel James goal. In the final they met Johnston but goals from Mike Griffiths and two from Chris Walters saw the division one side home although Solva were denied a consolation goal when Steve James saved a Nobby Howells penalty. They ended up seventh in the league 18 points behind champions Manorbier United.
 

1986-87 – Merlins Bridge - the last side to achieve this distinction was the Bridge who beat all first division opposition on their way to the final with the exception of division two Manorbier. In the first round they beat Carew 1-0 (Mickey Ellis) in a replay after a last minute goal had seen them draw 3-3 (Mickey Ellis two, Chris Walters) in the first game.  They then beat Manorbier United 3-1 (Eric James two and Dickie Thomas), Kilgetty 5-2 (Chris Walters three Robbie Reynolds two), and Monkton Swifts 2-0 (Dickie Thomas, Gordon Thomas) to reach the final. The final was decided over three matches with first two ending 1-1, with the Bridge winning the second replay 3-2 thanks to goals from Mickey Ellis, Gordon Thomas and Dekker Thomas, with James Morgans netting the two for Goodwick.  They won the league finishing on level points with Solva but had a better goal difference of 2, 114-35 against 109-32!