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Goodwick take the plaudits but New Hedges Saundersfoot take the Spoils

Phoenix Park on Saturday (Apr 5) rang out to the sounds of championess and green army as Goodwick United reserve team lifted the Third Division Title from League Secretary Ian Baker, but not before New Hedges Saundersfoot beat them 2-0 which saw the Seasiders promoted alongside Niall Kinsella’s team.

It was the visitors who dominated large parts of the on a bright and windless afternoon, Sam Franklin the visiting custodian having little to do behind a back four led by veteran Geoff Marsh alongside his central partner Richard Bambrick and full backs Jack Franklin and Taine Brace. The midfield for Saundersfoot was well controlled by teenager Adam Carlier, Finlay Hill and Tom Mansbridge which allowed man of the match Billy Lawrence to give the home defence a torrid time as he used his pace and skill with two feet, Jordan Roche and skipper Iwan James battling with gusto alongside Kyle Smith and Ifan Mathias with veteran Gary Reynolds sitting in front of the defence to also support the breakup of the offensive play, this defeat being only the second for Goodwick in their 22 games all season.

Adam Davidson and Harvey Drummond as the strikers for Saundersfoot combined well as a pair and were willing runners as Mansbridge and Hill played balls into space behind a retreating home defence, goalkeeper Adam Butler a solid barrier to any goal threat. On 25 minutes Mansbridge made good contact which drove Butler to turn the goal bound effort on to his left hand post with a one handed save, but it was a prelude to Mansbridge opening the scoring three minutes later as he finished off a rebound from the resultant corner to give the league runners-up a solitary goal lead at half time.

Within five minutes of the restart from referee Helmut Reinhardt, Drummond double the lead from the penalty spot as Lawrence was stopped inside the area to rounded applause from the travelling Seasiders contingent, Reinhardt getting his yellow card out for Mathias on 54 minutes after a robust challenge, Kinsella bringing on Tyler Booker for Smith and Ethan Priestley was replaced by Oliver Benbow before the hour, the north county side making their final change with former Solva striker Rob Jenkins making his return from injury on 67 minutes to replace Henry Sturman, Jenkins immediately combining with fellow frontman Keegan Summers, former Hakin United number one Franklin untroubled and unflustered, his goal net being unblemished despite the home side being awarded a penalty kick, which saw Sion O’Sullivan’s strike thunder against then over the bar.

With a quarter of an hour remaining Tyler Morris became the second home player in Reinhardt’s black book for a crunching challenge on the half way line, Reinhardt remaining cool and level headed as he weighed up the severity of the challenge which could have seen Morris making the long walk back to the changing room.

Brace was removed with ten minutes of the game to be played, Morgan Broomhall the only change made by coach Justin Silver as the game ended with a 2-0 success for Saundersfoot as they make the move back to Division 2 having lost just two games themselves all season, their final league game at third placed Pendine on Wednesday evening, before they meet Pembroke Boro in the Divisional Cup Final before the end of the month, from which the Club will look to build as they enter a second team into the league for the 25/26 season and will undoubtably attract new and ambitious players to the King George V field.

Kinsella was jubilant with his acclaim of his side who secured the title when he spoke post match, firstly acknowledging “the performance from Saundersfoot today saw them deservedly take the points and Helmut (referee) had an excellent game also. We have no complaints but I must pay tribute to the whole squad for their commitment over ten months, to matchdays, training nights and also working to improve their own fitness between sessions. We work closely within the club and the two teams fit seamlessly into the vision which has seen Chris O’Sullivan as first team manager using a number of players from our side throughout the season. It’s a measure of my pride to credit all those involved in the Club for the double league success and I have no doubt we are capable of stepping into the second division to compete with the well established teams currently there.”

New Hedges Saundersfoot United coach Simon brace, spoke with similar praise for his side's fantastic effort all season, securing their third consecutive promotion.

"Fully deserved honours and congratulations to Niall and the Goodwick lads for an outstanding season. They really did set the benchmark for everyone to follow throughout the season.

We have to give credit to the whole NHSU squad for there commitment to training match days and building on individual fitness levels that are pivotal throughout the last 10 months in keeping us in the mix going into business end of the season.

We knew there were going to be no "gimmes" at Kilgetty nor going to Goodwick after Wednesday night’s result confirming them as champions. We are very proud of the way the lads dusted themselves down,  handling the pressure against the Div 3 winners, every single one of them were up for the challenge that awaited in getting the result that was needed for promotion today.

Three consecutive promotions says it all as a club, with our aim of NHSU being back up in the top flight of Pembrokeshire football and we are reintroducing a 2nds side into Division 5 for next season which is pivotal as we look to stride forward within the whole club, from grassroots to junior through to senior management and the comittee, we are fully continually committed as New Hedges Saundersfoot United FC."

Goodwick United
Adam Butler; Jordan Roche; Iwan James ©️; Ifan Mathias; Kyle Smith (Tyler Booker); Gary Reynolds; Tyler Morris; Henry Sturman (Robert Jenkins); Keegan Summers; Sion O'Sullivan; Ethan Priestley (Oliver Benbow):

New Hedges Saundersfoot United
Samuel Franklin ©️; Taine Brace (Morgan Broomhall); Finlay Hill; Geoff Marsh; Richard Bambrick; Jack Franklin; Adam Carlier; Tom Mansbridge; Adam Davidson; Harvey Drummond; Billy Lawrence:

Substitutes unused
Finlay Drummond; Evan Owe

Referee
Helmut Reinhardt

Match Photos by MW10 Sports Photography

Photo Gallery (click to view in full)