Clarbie complete league and cup double
Fourth Division Cup Final:
Clarbeston Road 2nds 2 - Neyland 2nds 1
Venue: Marble Hall, Milford Haven
Referee: Charles Davies
Assistants: John Lewis and Keith Amos
Fourth Official: Chris Stapleton
Phil Bevan was the toast of his Clarbeston Road team-mates as he came off the bench and with only five minutes to go rifled home a superb goal from a free kick just outside the penalty area to edge out a gritty Neyland team that played its part in a very entertaining final.
Bevan scored after Clarbie had been awarded a free kick near the right hand corner of the box and his left-footed strike had so much venom that it flew into the far top corner of the Neyland net with Neyland keeper Jason Oatley unable to do much about a goal that would have graced any game.
Even then there was still time left for Ne
yland to go close with almost the final kick of the match as referee Charles Davies awarded them a free kick 25 yards out where Henry Durrant’s pile-driver beat Clarbie keeper Jason Houlday but rattled the crossbar before it was scrambled clear.
Clarbeston Road started the match as hot favourites since they had beaten Neyland 7-2 at home and 4-2 in Neyland on their way to winning the divisional silverware but someone forgot to tell Neyland that fact as Jeff Button’s boys started by far the better and had early chances to go in front.
Jack Button posed a real threat up
front and forced a good low save from Houlday, fired wide when put clear by Patrick Bellerby, and headed just wide from a Paul Davies cross. Andrew Smith also posed a threat as he hit the post and also went close again as Durrant and rugby boys Bellerby and Delme Bateman were strong in midfield it was Neyland who held the edge in the first half.
But Clarbie used the experience of skipper Adi Hurton, Roger James, Matthew Freeman and Matthew Brown to good effect to settle things down on an excellent playing surface provided by Andrew Burgoyne and Phil Marchant, and there was still no score at half time.
Clarbie took the lead after 52 minutes when Hurton’s cross into a packed Neyland goalmouth caused mayhem and Freeman popped up at the far post to bundle the ball into the net from close range.
But Neyland responded with a classic goal from a free kick taken in midfield by Curtis Elliott which was headed on by Durrant for Patrick Bellerby to head home and put his side level after 61 minutes.
The final 20 minutes was played in end-to-end fashion until up stepped Phil Bevan to earn the ‘supersub’ nomination from his Clarbie colleagues and supporters before Adi Hurton received the trophy from Manderwood Pembrokeshire League chairman Phil Devonald – and Neyland were left to reflect on a good performance in the disappointmen
t of defeat.
Clarbeston Road: Jason Houlday: Adi Hurton; Stephen Pugh; Nathan Griffiths; Matthew Freeman; Nick James; Roger James; Matthew Brown; Darren Coates; Stephen Morris; Gareth Bicknell; Phil Bevan; Danny Lewis; Alan Barrett.
Neyland 2nds: Jason Oatley: Curtis Elliott; Paul Davies; Nick Koomen; Oliver Marshall; Patrick Bellerby; Delme Bateman; Henry Durrant; Andrew Smith; Jack Button; Gareth Scarfe; Mark Edwards; Andrew Cole; Joe Durrant.
PHOTOS:
Adi Hurton celebrates Clarbeston Road's victory
The winning Clarbie team
Gallant runners-up Neyland
Charles Davies, with assistants John Lewis, Chris Stapleton and Keith Jones
Clarbie under real pressure at the back
Clarbie win this aerial duel
Clarbie goal scorers Matthew Freeman and Phil Bevan