Pembrokeshire football fixtures for Saturday, February 9th:
West Wales Cup Round 4 (1.30pm):
Hakin United 3-2 St Josephs
The stakes have been raised this one. The winner hosts holders Goodwick United in the last eight.
Heavy rain is due in tomorrow though, and The Vikings will desperately hope this isn't postponed a second time or they will lose home advantage.
And if the above prediction is to ring true they need to be at full strength after a mounting injury list since Christmas.
St Josephs are a quality side. They are second in the Swansea League Division One and come into this on the back of three straight league wins and if The Vikings are below par, they'll lose.
But now they are out of the Senior Cup and unlikely to retain the league title, I can seemputting everything they have into this. Nicky Woodrow is firing week in week out again and while I may be being optimistic, if Hakin can create their normal bout of chances I'll back them.
And if they do come through, another big day for local football at The Obs awaits....
Division 1 (2.30pm):
Carew 3-1 Pennar Robins
A first meeting of the season between these two - and also a dress rehearsal for the Senior Cup semi final.
The Rooks have looked good in 2019. They were minutes from a win over Merlins Bridge, swept aside Solva in the Senior Cup quarter final, and then after Shaun Whitfield's stunning strike did a proper job on Malsters Sports last week.
They will want to keep up momentum here and also need to - in order to keep in touch with Monkton and Goodwick.
Last week they started with Scott Ferney, Jordan Richards, and Sam Christopher in attack and that is formidable trio. Pennar's defence and keeper Stuart James will be on guard.
The Robins will pose threat themselves and the record of Ben Adams this season speaks for itself. But by Saturday it will be three weeks since they last played and this is a tough fixture to be shaking off ring-rust in.
Current form points towards Carew.
Clarbeston Road 2-1 Herbrandston
Two sides in need of a result. Clarbie's 6-1 loss to Monkton last week was a third straight league loss - but they remain in the top six and Ben John continued his impact since signing from Prendergast with another goal.
Herbie's need is even greater. There has been nothing wrong with their commitment against Goodwick these past two weeks and in both matches, the Phoenix Boys were made to work hard.
But their hearts would have sank when news of Milford's win over St Clears came through on Saturday, and they now have a six point deficit to make up. Hard working performances will mean very little now unless they have the results to boot.
Leighton Harding continues to give everything in goal and Marc Gelona and Andre Algieri were both prominent in the first half especially last week, but they need to somehow find a winning formula.
They should arrive desperate for a result on Saturday and I can see it being close, but I still tip Clarbie.
Goodwick United 4-0 Saundersfoot Sports
Goodwick are ticking along nicely and that is now four clean sheets in five league and cup games. As mentioned, they endured a scrappy start at Herbie in the West Wales Cup last Saturday but there was no panic.
Steve Dockerty's influence has grown in recent weeks and with Rhys Dalling also back scoring goals, and Jordan Griffiths' prolific form continuing, they look a strong side all round.
Saundersfoot have been up and down. A 4-2 win at Milford before losing by the same score at Neyland last week. Jake Webster and Curtis Hurlow had their goals there but having come back from 2-0 down, they let the game slip away again.
That leaves them 11th and after a solid start, they won't want their first season back in the top flight to peter out.
But I can't see them getting anything from Phoenix Park.
Monkton Swifts 5-1 Milford United
Monkton backed up that win at Bridge by hammering Clarbie last week.
That put them back top and Joe Lewis will want nothing less than three points here. After this weekend they will have eight league games left including Goodwick, Bridge, Hakin and Carew and while I feel the top sides will take points off each other, none of them can afford to slip up elsewhere.
Yet again the Monkton scorers were spread out last week and veterans Ben Nicholas and Daniel Scourfield got in on the act, but this fixture doesn't look as easy at it may have been pre-Christmas.
Milford are fighting hard and reaping rewards because of it. Liam Parr's two goals gave them a vital win over St Clears and Ashley and Neil Mathias, and Morgan Picton, all stood out in midfield.
Immediately after the game Adrian Hutchings spoke about wanting to come to Monkton and perform - he may have an ulterior motive given his two brothes in law Rhodri and Dylan Davies play for the Swifts - but it underlined Milford's new found confidence that they aren't dreading a trip to play the leaders.
Having said that I still think Monkton will be too strong for them. Which will be please Hutchings and co, as I thought they would lose last week too....
Narberth 1-3 Merlins Bridge
It was a big win for Bridge on Saturday, and not just because they went through to the last eight of the West Wales Cup.
Back to back defeats in big games would have prompted real worry. As it is they go to Jesse Road still needing to win, but with some momentum back.
They will still be missing the suspended Adam Hawkins but Laurie Haworth's return boosted them last week, while Narberth haven't played since losing 3-1 at home to Neyland on January 19th.
Prior to that their form was up and down but if Bridge are off the boil at the back, the likes of Dafydd Wright, Tony Evans, and Jordan Williams are capable of punishing them.
But The Wizards have too much to lose here and I can't seem them being below par.
St Clears 2-3 Neyland
League position favours St Clears here but by their own admission, they performed poorly in that defeat at Milford United last week.
They were under strength at Marble Hall with manager Scott Page their only sub, so it remains to be seen if they have players returning tomorrow.
In contrast, Neyland are finding some form with six points from nine. After letting a 2-0 lead slip against Saundersfoot, they showed character to re-group and goals from Joe Charlton, Kieron Howells, Jake Booth, and Henry Durrant ultimately sealed a win.
Struggling to pick a winner in this one. But on the basis of last Saturday, I'll slant towards The Nomads.
Division 2:
Broad Haven v Solva
Camrose v Hakin United II
Lawrenny v Hundleton
Letterston v Johnston
Llangwm H'west CC v St Ishmaels
Merlins Bridge II v Kilgetty
Prendergast Villa v Fishguard Sports
Division 3:
Fishguard Sports II v Narberth II
Milford Athletic v St Clears II
Milford United II v Carew II
Pembroke Boro v Clarbeston Road II
Pendine v Goodwick United II
Solva II v Monkton Swifts II
St Florence v Pennar Robins II
Division 4:
Herbrandston II v Broad Haven II
Hundleton II v Cosheston
Kilgetty II v Pembroke Boro II
Neyland II v Pennar Robins III
St Ishmaels II v Camrose II
Division 5:
Carew III v Lawrenny II
Johnston II v Milford Athletic II
Saundersfoot Sports II v Monkton Swifts III
Fifth Division Cup semi final:
Tenby v Newport Tigers
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