History repeating?

Who will win the division one title this season? It’s a question that was asked before the first game and it’s a question that is still being asked now.

Neyland are in the box seat, 26 points of Haverfordwest yet it’s still not over and with Carew to play away from home this weekend, it may not be until the final ball is bowled of 2014.

Form would suggest that Neyland will win that game although Carew, denied a win by the rain last Saturday will not go down without a fight and will doubly motivated to win given they lost a club stalwart when Beryl Marsh, the daughter of one of the club’s founder members, tragically died while on her way to watch them take on St Ishmaels.

A few miles up the road in Cresselly, second placed Haverfordwest will be the visitors. A batsman’s paradise, will the Town’s big guns come to the fore or will the home side, third in the league no less, show them how the game should be played? It promises to be an intriguing weekend.

If Carew and Haverfordwest win, the final game of the season at The Racecourse has all the ingredients of a classic as Neyland will be the visitors. They were on course to lose when the teams met on June 21 yet Nathan Banner dug in to get them over the line, hitting a huge six to seal it.

Twenty five years ago, the Town came out on top with Carew in second place. Carew won’t win it this year but they could have a big part to play in how the title is won.

At the other end of the spectrum, in the final year of the 1980’s Saundersfoot finished bottom with Lawrenny joining them in division two the following season. Narberth avoided the drop by nine points.

This time around, they are the favourites to join the Seasiders in the tier below with Lawrenny currently 35 points ahead of them.

Lawrenny still aren’t out the woods yet but they very well could be if they get the better of the game against Narberth this weekend.

If Narberth win, their final game is home to Carew while Lawrenny will have to travel to Llanrhian to guarantee survival and that’s not an easy place to play, just ask Neyland and Carew as both have lost there this year.

There are also some intriguing battles in division two and the title could be decided this weekend when table toppers Johnston entertain second placed Llangwm. While at the bottom, Haverfordwest seconds, third from bottom and not out of the mire just yet entertain Cresselly seconds, while Carew seconds, 29 points adrift of The Town travel to Llechryd who are already down.

If Cresselly and Carew both win, there will be a ceasefire in that old rivalry for a week at least as Carew will be given a lifeline.

If History repeats itself then Carew will go down as they did alongside Rosemarket all those years ago.

The division three title could also be decided this week as second placed Camrose and Spittal entertain top placed Kilgetty. Kilgetty were on course to win last week but rain intervened while Camrose (does anyone call them Camrose and Spittal?) beat Lamphey who were relegated from division three 25 years ago alongside another defunct team in Tenby. Lamphey too could go down this year despite just being above the relegation zone.

They are only 36 points ahead of second from bottom Narberth seconds who they play this week.
On to division four and believe it or not the top two play each other this week too with Lawrenny seconds travelling to Hundleton.

The division five title isn’t decided yet either with Pembroke seconds currently top ahead of Llanrhian seconds. They play each other in the final game while in division six Kilgetty seconds could pip Whitland to the league if they beat them convincingly this week as Whitland don’t have a fixture on August 30 but Kilgetty do when they travel to Camrose who could still get promoted if they beat Lamphey seconds this weekend and Kilgetty in their last game.

Statisticians love permutations and this season is providing them in waves, the league couldn’t have scripted it any better.

Talking of statistics, who makes the team of the week?

Team of the week


  1. Scott Arthur (Cresselly seconds) 126 v Llangwm
  2. Rob Weston (Pembroke) 84 v Johnston
  3. Brennan Lay (Hook) 78no v Burton
  4. Nico Setaro (Whitland seconds) 76 v Carew seconds
  5. Kashif Ijaz (Haverfordwest seconds) 74 v Llechryd
  6. Tom Blaxland (Hook) 72no v Burton
  7. Simon Holliday (Haverfordwest) 67no and 3-11 v Saundersfoot
  8. Ceri Brace (Carew seconds) 54 & 3-28 v Whitland seconds
  9. Tom Davies (Carew) 7-33 v St Ishmaels
  10. Adam James (Haverfordwest) 6-34 & 17 v Saundersfoot
  11. Gareth Davies (Llanrhian) 6-21 v Narberth






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