The senior squad travelled for the first time in four seasons to play against old foes Fishguard & Goodwick on the moor in Goodwick. The weather was cloudy, overcast, with a stiff offshore breeze, but thankfully the heavy rain of the morning had passed, leaving the ground damp, yet in perfect condition fo this much awaited encounter. The game was played in front of a very large, highly vociferous and partisan crowd, that made themselves heard throughout the whole match.

The game started at a frenetic pace, with Pembroke maintaining territorial advantage for the first ten minutes; as usual they were keen to spread the ball wide after good work from the pack, that made deep inroads and produced a stream of clean early ball. The visitors were rewarded for their ambition, when after multiple phases and excellent interplay between backs and forwards, big Sam Smith punched a hole in the home defence and offloaded to prop Dom Coleman to force his way over; the try was converted by No 10 Toby Smith. Smith had pinned the home side back a number of times with some very astute, tactical line kicking in the first quarter, which helped to give the visitors the territorial edge. Fishguard too were able to mount some good phases of play, triggered mainly by their livewire No8 and captain Shousha, who regularly broke from the set piece to put his team on the front foot. Both sides demonstrated equal amounts of adventure as the second quarter got under way, but neither was able to break down each other’s defences and for the bulk of the second quarter the score deservedly remained 7-0 to the visitors. The battle at the scrum had been even throughout the whole half and the younger home front three stood up well in the tight and the loose. During the half, referee Thomas had penalised the visitors heavily at the breakdown, yet Fishguard chose not to kick for goal from a number of kickable positions and were confident to kick to the corners; but they failed to penetrate a very determined Pembroke defence on many occasions from very good field position. Then after thirty eight minutes, Pembroke transgressed again in front of their own posts and the home side’s kicker Mark Jones and skipper Shousha decided to take the three points. After a short period where the sides traded territory, Pembroke struck back, when No 10 Smith kicked out of defence deep into the home half, his backs chased hard and forced the home pack to create a defensive ruck, their scrum half had his clearance kick blocked by a charging Pembroke skipper (Scott Powell), who picked up the loose ball to feed centre Dan Colley and he crashed over, to rapturous applause and cheers from the travelling support; Toby Smith kicked the conversion. Five minutes before half time Pembroke lost centre Colley to a yellow card for what seemed a rather innocuous incident. However, Pembroke maintained pressure on their opponents in a half, which had mystifyingly lasted 53 minutes and went into the break at 3-14 up, in what had been an exciting, hard fought battle.

Pembroke made a couple of changes at the break, bringing on fresh legs in the pack and were now playing into the strengthening wind. Disappointingly for the visitors they then lost prop Coleman to another yellow card, which reduced his team to thirteen, with a galvanised Fishguard mounting much greater pressure in the first ten minutes of the half. The home pack began to assert themselves in the loose and after eleven minutes, they mounted a multiple phase attack wide right towards the sea end, which was saw skipper Shousha make an excellent individual twenty metre break that ended with him crashing over in the corner, for a well deserved score, which went unconverted. For the rest of the third quarter the home side continued to exert severe pressure on their opponents, with only inaccuracy in their backs’ handling letting them down; time after time they drove into a very determined and strong Pembroke defence, which managed to repel them on each occasion. After twenty four minutes the home side pressed again and were awarded another penalty thirty five metres out in front of the posts; young No 10 Mark Jones coolly stepped up and put it between the uprights to bring the home side to within three points of the visitors. Minutes later, Pembroke forged a very good position, after excellent work from their forwards, who released the backs, only for winger Alderman John to be high tackled wide right very near the home line; his tackler was penalised and yellow carded for the high tackle. Pembroke kicked to the corner, but lost their advantage as they lost the lineout and the home side relieved the pressure. After thirty five minutes the score remained the same, with a slender advantage to the visitors, but this very intense and exciting match continued to ebb and flow as both sides traded field position and strived for the crucial score. The battle amongst the forwards grew more intense as the game progressed, the Pembroke back row had to work hard to repel the ever present Shousha (who had lead from the front from the start) and his hard working pack. To the annoyance of the home fans, their speedy backs’ poor handling, meant they failed to capitalise on a few well created positions as the last quarter progressed.

After forty five minutes, Pembroke continued to hold a slender lead and were having to work hard in defence. Finally, Fishguard’s persistence paid off and from a lineout close to the visitor’s line, they mounted a concerted driving maul and crashed over for an unconverted try, to take the lead, much to the delight of their very vociferous supporters. Both team’s fitness and stamina levels were certainly tested, but both stood up well to the demands of the punishing pace they set for one another. The referee, mystifyingly, continued to allow what seemed an overly generous amount of injury time and after fifty three minutes, the visitors kicked out of defence, chased hard, regained possession, went through a number of phases and forced an indiscretion from the home forwards at the breakdown, under their own posts; No 10 Toby Smith stepped and confidently kicked the goal to give his side a one point lead. The home side then raised themselves and mounted a number of attacks, which yielded two consecutive penalties after the visitors transgressed in the loose; sadly for them their young kicker Jones failed with both attempts, in an electric atmosphere of very high drama, with both sets of supporters loudly, urging on their players. Finally, after a totally mystifying fifty six minutes, in a half that saw very few lengthy stoppages, the referee signalled the end of play, much to the delight of the visitor’s players, coaches and supporters, as they had secured their second win of the campaign after a marvellously entertaining and enthralling encounter, between two very evenly matched, fit and determined sides, who were roundly applauded from the field by the whole crowd.

Pembroke’s players and coaches were delighted with another four point win by 16-17; whilst, all of the officials, coaches, players and supporters for both sides were incredulous at the standard of officiating; Pembroke Head Coach Geraint Lewis was extremely surprised at the length of the second half, after which he paid tribute to the resilience and huge defensive effort from his players in the second half particularly, which he was convinced had cemented the win; he also paid high praise to the young home squad that had performed so effectively and put his team under so much pressure during a very intense second half .

After a very positive start to life in this higher division, the Pembroke squad know they will need to regroup and prepare very thoroughly in order to take on Carmarthen Athletic away next weekend, in a match that sees two sides with two wins from two matches go head to head; KO is 2.30pm and supporters can travel on the team coach (please contact the club and or look on social media, in advance, for the departure time).

SECOND XV

After a blank weekend, the squad will take on Carmarthen Druids at home tomorrow, KO 2.30pm.

YOUTH

The youth travelled to take on a strong line up at Narberth and as expected met with a very well drilled and highly competent squad. The Pembroke lads worked extremely hard and gave of their best, but Narberth proved very effective in all areas of the game and eventually ran out deserved winners by 30-5. The Pembroke coaches praised their lads for putting up solid resistance, but acknowledged the strength and ability of the home side.

JUNIOR SECTION

After no matches last weekend because of IRONMAN, the matrix fixtures will start this weekend.

Congratulations to Matthew “Denzil” Dennison (U11 coach) on completing the Ironman course for the second time last weekend; also to Amy Phillips parent of U13s player as she completed her second consecutive Ironman.

NEW

COLLABORATION with “EXFITNESS” at the CLUB GYMNASIUM

We are very pleased to announce that Neil James (ex-player, fully qualified instructor and director of his own company) has entered into a joint venture with the club to upgrade and modernise our gym, with a view to running private sessions for clients, whilst also providing fitness sessions for the players and rehab facilities for injured players. We look on this collaboration as being a huge step forward in our quest to look after the welfare and wellbeing of our players.

Paid up members of the Club can also take advantage of this facility by paying a one off membership of £35 a year; please read the notices around the club and make contact with the gym supervisors if you want to join the scheme. Once a member you will be given an electronic fob entry key, which accesses you to the facility. We hope many will join.