As they prepare for their Senior Cup final clash against Goodwick United, we take a look at the team at Clarbeston Road - kindly provided to us by the club.
Goalkeeper
Rhys Mansell
Job: Student
Junior Clubs: Kilgetty and Tenby
Senior Clubs: Tenby, Narberth and Clarbeston Road
Rhys will be playing in his first Senior Cup Final after signing for the club at the start of the Season. Rhys doubles up his duties of being a very good goalkeeper himself with also being Head of Goalkeeper Coaching at Haverfordwest. An excellent shot stopper and will be hoping that he can win the cup at his first attempt.
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Defenders
Josh Wood
Job: NHS Procurement Business Manager
Junior Club: Clarbeston Road
Senior Club: Clarbeston Road
A true Clarby Player through and through having played all of his football with the Club! Has took some persuading that he is a Right Back but has been one of the most consistent in the League this season! Loves to get forward and join the attack. He will be busy Saturday no doubt. Definitely the smiler of the group off the pitch but less so on the pitch!
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Rheinallt George (C)
Junior Clubs: Clarbeston Road and Tenby
Senior Clubs: Clarbeston Road and Merlins Bridge
Rheins is Club Captain and has spent most of his Junior and Senior Career at the Club. He returned to the club after a brief spell at the Bridge and has Skippered the club excellently this year. A powerhouse of a Centre half, he will be hoping to raise the cup aloft on Saturday having played in both previous cup finals for the Club.
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Tom Withers
Job: Lifeguard at the Blue Lagoon
Junior Clubs: Tally Calleva, Aston Clinton, Tring Athletic Under 18s and Winchester City U23s
Senior Clubs: Tring Athletic, Winchester Castle and Clarbeston Road
This will be Tom’s first ever experience of a Senior Cup Final let alone playing in one! Tom moved to Pembrokeshire with his family at the start of the Season and found the Club though the Website! A fortunate signing but has been ever present at centre half all season. Good in the Air and also comfortable with the ball at his feet.
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Ben Clague
Job: Civil Engineer
Junior Club: Clarbeston Road
Senior Club: Clarbeston Road
Ben is a true One Club man and has experienced the senior cup final previously. A very fast and tenacious Left Back who just loves defending. Ben’s secret talent is he can play the guitar behind his head so let’s hope he can show us that skill Saturday night back at the Cross!
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Joules Ward
Job: Site Manager
Juniors: Clarbeston Road and Haverfordwest Academy
Seniors: Clarbeston Road, Narberth and Llanboidy
Joules was travelling in Australia the last two times Clarby made the final so this will be his first Senior Cup Final. Talented left sided player who loves to get forward whenever he can. Another player who has been at the club for many years
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Sami Hurton
Job: Welder
Junior Clubs: Clarbeston Road and Neyland
Senior Clubs: Clarbeston Road and Haverfordwest Cricket Club
Sami played most of his Youth Football with the Club and other than one season at the Cricket Club, has played every year of senior football for the club. This will be Sami’s first Senior Cup Final and will have Clarby Legend aka Dad Adi there cheering him on! A very calm and measured Centre Back who is very comfortable on the ball (unlike his Dad!!)
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Midfielders
Jake Booth
Job: Farmer
Jonior Clubs: Neyland, Pennar and Hundleton
Senior Clubs: Haverfordwest County, Neyland, Fishguard and Clarbeston Road
This will be Jake’s first Senior Cup so is hoping to make it first time lucky! Jake has experience with Haverfordwest County Youth Teams so will know the Meadow well. A box to box type midfielder who will link up play well as he did in the semi final with his assist for our opening goal.
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Matthew Ellis (Player Manager)
Job: Implementation and Support Analyst (Pembrokeshire Council)
Junior Clubs: Merlins Bridge and Haverfordwest County U18s
Senior Clubs: Haverfordwest County, Merlins Bridge, Newcastle Emlyn, Milford United and Clarbeston Road
Our most experienced player based on finals (and age!). Matthew is Player Manager and has been in no less than 5 finals. This will be his 3rd with Clarbeston Road and will be hoping to make it 3rd time lucky! He was manager when Clarby were a Division Two Team but lost to the Bridge and then the following year versus Hakin. Another player with huge experience which will hopefully get us over the line Saturday.
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Rob Morgans
Job: Police
Junior Clubs: Swansea City, Clarbeston Road and Camrose
Senior Clubs: Haverfordwest County, Goodwick, Seaside, Cwmamman and Clarbeston Road
Rob has played in two Senior Cup Finals previously, but this will be his first one for Clarbeston Road. An extra incentive, it will be against his former club! Rob has played at the top level of Welsh Football with Haverfordwest so will certainly not be overawed by the big occasion Saturday.
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Travis Jones
Junior Clubs: Played in Spain as a Junior and then Herbrandston and Haverfordwest County on his return
Senior Clubs: West Dragons, Prendergast Villa, Haverfordwest Cricket Club and Clarbeston Road
Trav signed at the beginning of the Season from Haverfordwest Cricket Club and is an energetic midfielder who will run all day. This will be his first Senior Cup Final and is another hoping to have a successful Senior Cup Final Debut! He is due a goal so will be hoping this comes on Saturday!
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Matthew Davies
Job: Community Football Coach for Swansea City
Junior Clubs: Clarbeston Road
Senior Clubs: Clarbeston Road
Matthew “Chicken” Davies is everything about Clarby Road! He is on the committee, he lives in the village, drinks in the village, he is kit secretary, he coaches the club’s under 14’s and sometimes finds time to leave the village to go to work! A real powerful winger who has contributed many important goals and assists this season. He will be hoping to contribute positively on Saturday too! Not surprisingly he was involved in the Club’s two previous Cup Finals but another hoping to make it a victorious one this time.
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George Thomas
Job: Student
Junior Clubs: Swansea Pre-Academy, Merlin’s Bridge, Prendergast Villa, Haverfordwest Bluebirds, Pennar Robins
Senior Clubs: Clarbeston Road
At 16 years of Age, having only turned 16 in December, George is the Youngest Member of the Squad having signed from Merlin’s Bridge Juniors, and this will be his first Senior Cup Final. A very talented young midfielder and one for the future.
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Strikers
Laurie Howarth
Job: Warehouse Operative
Junior Clubs: Camrose and Clarbeston Road. Laurie also represented Wales at Under 18s
Senior Clubs: Camrose, Haverfordwest County, Merlins Bridge and Hakin
Laurie has played in the Senior Cup Final before, having won the Trophy with Merlin’s Bridge. He will certainly hope to be the best Howarth on the pitch on Saturday given his brother Will will be up against him for Goodwick. Surely a first having two brothers playing against each other in the Final! Laurie scored the 5th Goal in the Semi to Seal the win and will hope to score again Saturday!
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Jake Wesley
Junior Club: Clarbeston Road
Senior Clubs: Clarbeston Road
Jake certainly made a name for himself in the Semi Final, coming off the bench to score a winning Hat Trick. The squad’s “Baby Faced Assasin!” this will be his first Senior Cup Final having played all his Senior Football with Clarby Road. Great in the air but also very comfortable linking play or as he showed in the Semi Final, equally calm and measured in front of goal. Will hope he can contribute again Saturday
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Ben John
Job: Plumber
Junior Clubs: None
Senior Clubs: Goodwick, Prendergast Villa and Clarbeston Road
A somewhat late starter to football, Rocky has certainly wasted no time in catching up! He is this seasons Current Top Scorer and will be hoping to continue his scoring onto the Final as he was on target in the Semi Final within 8 minutes. This will be his first experience in the Senior Cup Final and will be vital to the club achieving a memorable win if he is on the scoresheet come Saturday. If he is on form, he could trouble the Goodwick backline and even net the winner!
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Richard Bevan
Job: Learning Support Assistant
Junior Clubs: Clarbeston Road
Senior Club: Clarbeston Road
One of a few “one Club!” Players in the Squad, Richie has played his whole career at the club. Testament to the commitment at the Club, Richie has followed his Dad Huw as a massive support to the club, and helps out wherever he can reffing and coaching the Junior Sections. This will be his second Cup Final for the Club having played in the narrow 2-1 defeat to Merlin’s Bridge in 2017!
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Manager
Matt Fox
Job: Account Director Facilities Management
Matt has been coaching / Managing at the club now for 6 seasons, having previously been a player at the Club for a number of seasons and then stepping into coaching the team in 2016. 10 Years ago he was a player in 2014 Division Two Cup winning side for the Club but his only experience of the Senior Cup was as manager back in 2018 – he is hoping for an improvement this time around having lost 7-1 to a superb Hakin Team. In his “spare” time he also assists with the Club’s Under 9’s
