7^th February 2025:
 
Pembrokeshire KO Cup – Plate Competition:

 

Quins win ‘fantastic cup tie’!

 
 

Pembroke 22 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 37

 
A golden third quarter of attacking rugby saw Pembroke Dock Harlequins turn a 13-17 interval deficit against old rivals Pembroke into a 35-17 lead, and a deserved place in the semi-finals at Cardigan , as The Scarlets had the final word with a late consolation score in an absorbing clash under the Crickmarren floodlights.
 
The match was watched by a huge crowd which again emphasized the popularity of Friday evening matches before The Six nations’ games – and both teams, and referee Chris Oliver, combined to produce a fast-flowing game where there were no yellow cards, or handbags being opened. Mr Oliver did have to utilise the 10-metre rule for a couple of back-chatting moments alongside no shortage of penalties, especially in the first half, but they were for technical infringements, rather than any skullduggery.
 
The passing in general was excellent, especially from The Quins’ pacy back division, and play overall led to several comments from both camps afterwards about what a fantastic treat it was to watch – and this ancient pundit would have to agree and say it was easily one of the best games he has seen at senior level all season!




 

Pembroke suffer a pre-match blow but soon surge ahead

 
Pembroke suffered a pre-match blow as key ball-carrier Dai Rogers had to pull out during the warm-up but replacement Leon Stewart, Rhydian Eynon and William Edwards were very much in evidence before The Quins settled and took the lead with a well-judged penalty from skipper Ben Hathaway after good play by halves Sam ‘Rasher’ James and Euan McDonald took them into the Scarlet’s territory and he banged over a penalty from 30 metres.
 
But Pembroke hit back almost immediately as Josh Greenwood, Lewis Davies, Fraser James and Jack Nicholas took them into the corner and winger Evan Davies fed off his pack’s to score in the corner.
 
But Quins’ powerful winger Damien Miller, the game’s outstanding player, served notice of intent with a couple of powerful runs that Pembroke managed to scramble away – and then increase their advantage as Jamie Brayford, Cyle Weatherall, Dan and Lloyd Davies established the platform for Fraser James to score a cracking try which Lewis Davies converted to give his side a 12-3 lead.
 

Fortunes ebb and flow

 
The Scarlets then tried to clear another Quins’ attack and paid the price when it was caught near half way by Miller, who bounced off a couple of would-be defenders en route to the corner for a superb score that Hathaway looked to have converted from the touchline but the ball dipped under the crossbar.
 
Pembroke were just about having the edge up front at this time and added a third try after a charge by Barry Alderman-John, Lewis Davies, Tom Cabot and the rest of the home pack to drive through and establish the chance for busy flanker William Edwards to score an unconverted try
 
As fortunes ebbed and flowed there was still time near the interval for The Quins to respond, with the initial thrust in defence from Sam James and maintained by the ubiquitous Miller on a run to the corner before prop Ryan Neilson ploughed over the line by co-prop Jack Davies and  George Bellmaine, plus the rest of his forward colleagues helping the surge.



 

Scarlets hit by Quins ‘purple patch’

 
With the slope in their favour after the break, Pembroke might have expected to stay ahead but they were rocked back as they conceded ten points in the first five minutes as Jack Price showed why he still has that pace that marked him as special in his younger days at Narberth, slicing through to the clubhouse corner, linking with Tom Donovan before Craig Barnett scored in the corner.
 
Hathaway’s conversion was superb and the Quins’ skipper added a simpler penalty soon afterwards as prop flanker Danny Wilkes continued to rule the lineouts, with support from Lewys Scourfield, Taylor Rees, Callum Jones and especially Harry Owen as a result of his ball-winning, and another try soon came from a long-range effort after they had defended well.
 
They opened play near their own line and the classy Craig Barnett created space with a long pass to Tom Donovan, another who had a cracking game, and he made ground with a clever kick into space that created the chance for The Quins to utilise possession – and replacement prop Dan McLeod ploughed over the line, accompanied by a huge cheer by Quins’ contingent behind the line who recognised his hard work in every match he plays.
 
The Quins were still not finished however, as they added a fifth try as a perfect little Price chip to the corner bounced just right for Miller to claim another deserved unconverted try.
 

Scarlets have the final word – but The Quins march on

 
It says much for The Scarlets’ commitment , however., as they had the final word after replacements Johnnie Palmer, Robin Badham & Co supplied fresh legs and it was perhaps appropriate that skipper Lloyd Davies, who led by example throughout, crashed over from close range and Lewis Davies added the extra points to round off a thoroughly entertaining tussle.
 
So The Quins face another difficult challenge as they travel to Cardigan in the semi-final whilst Pembroke, although disappointed, played their part in a classic encounter, and although perhaps a cliched comment, local rugby was the eventual winner too and might just encourage the same sort of commitment from all clubs in District H!!
 
Pembroke: TJ Jones: Evan Davies; Fraser James; Jack Nicholas; Barry Alderman-John: Lewis Davies; Josh Greenwood: Lloyd Davies (Capt); Dan Davies; Jamie Brayford: Cyle Weatherall; Tom Cabot: William Edwards; Rhydian Eynon; Leon Stewart.  Replacements: Johnnie Palmer; Jack Oliver; Deryn Williams; Robin Badham; Evan Phillips; Liam Topp.
 
Pembroke Dock Harlequins: Ben Hathaway (Capt): Damien Miller; Craig Barnett; Jack Price; Tom Donovan: Euan McDonald; Sam James: Ryan Neilson; George Bellmaine; Jack Davies: Lewys Scourfield; Taylor Rees: Callum Jones; Danny Wilkes; Harry Owen. Replacements: Alfie Ball, Dan McLeod; Mark van Rhyn; Liam Baker; Rhys Doyle; Jordan Palmer.



 
 
 

Pembrokeshire KO Cup – Quarter-Finals:

 

KO Cup Semi-Finals will have just one team who had to play in the last eight!

 
The Pembrokeshire Knock Out Cup has traditionally been the Blue Riband event in the county’s annual rugby calendar but sadly it seems that is not quite the case this campaign as only Haverfordwest (who won 24-20 at St Davids), had to play more than one match to reach the semi-finals – with all the other three going through by default because their opponents were unable to raise a team!
 
Coincidentally Fishguard & Goodwick, Narberth Athletic and Whitland were actually scheduled to play at home and so not only forfeited the chance to reach the last four and the possibility of a big day out – but valuable gate receipts and bar profits that such matches inevitably generate.
 
Narberth did send a statement regarding their calling the game off, where they pointed out that it was something they hated doing it but a number of their regulars had helped out the first team by playing just one or two matches and so disqualified themselves from playing against Aberystwyth,  a team  who are currently top of Division One (West) but allowed to choose from their full squad! They did, however, show their good grace as they wished Aber every success in the semis.
 
They also wouldn’t have lost gate receipts because there is already a first-team match at the Lewis Lloyd Ground,  where The Otters play Merthyr, one of the top two teams in the Welsh Premiership.
 
One could perhaps feel a modicum of sympathy for that thought but some might say they rejoined the competition of their own volition and so must take the rough with the smooth – but this pundit feels it lends power to our long-held thought that the KO Cup should now be a two-tier competition, with the ‘Gold’ section featuring the top-four teams from the previous season, and the ‘Silver’ Section involving all the rest.
 
This would mean that this season would have seen the first teams of Narberth, Crymych, Tenby and Aberystwyth in one section and all the other first XVs in the second tier – and a revival of the old ‘Junior Union Cup’ for any second teams which wanted to enter.
 
There is no perfect answer but at least it would clear up the problem of having second teams in the competition and how players qualify for inclusion – and if this set-up is continued then perhaps making a qualification of two or three first team matches as the maximum number before anyone is disqualified from the second side!
 
If you have a solution better than ours then text it on Whats App to 07807 054743 and we’ll publish the best!
 
 
 

Seagulls struggle in vain to raise a team

 

Fishguard & Goodwick C Tenby United C

 
**Match called off by The Seagulls – so Seasiders now play at Haverfordwest in the semi-final**
Tenby United: Geraint Jones: Will James; Liam Price; Tom Edmonds; Gwion Jones; Lloyd Thomas; Dai Jones: Hywel Baker; Joe Poole; Ethan Morgan: Tom Barrass (Capt); Luke Dedman: Charlie Patching; Dan Colley; Jake Roberts. Replacements: Nicky Guymer; James Morgan; Rhys Grigg; Jack Brown; Jake Henson; Matthew Lewis; Darcy Langston.
 
 

Borderers unable to field a team

 

Whitland C Aberaeron C

 
**Aberaeron go through and will play at Aberystwyth in the semi-final.
 
Aberaeron:  Morgan Llewellyn (Capt):  Dyfrig Dafis; Rhys Jones; Rhodri Jenkins; Ifan Davies: Steff Rees; Dafydd Llewellyn: Ceri Davies; Sion Evans; Fin Webb: Bleddyn Thomas; Richard Francis: Jack Richards; Gethin Dafis; Will James. Replacements: Owain Bonsall; Bruce Gaskell; Bobby Jones; Tudur Jenkins; Steff DJ Jones; Matthew Harries; Dylan Harries.
 
 
 

Otters call game off and concede fixture to Aberystwyth

 

Narberth Athletic C Aberystwyth C

 
**Aberystwyth will now play host to Aberaeron in the semi-finals **