Every cloud has a silver lining they say, although it is very hard to find the remotest hint of anything silver, or grey or even metallic white, as the dark clouds of gloom peered down menacingly on a woeful Kilgetty performance in this third round Senior Cup clash.

It is also ironic that silver is the colour most commonly associated with second place, because that is definitely where the away side finished in this one-sided match-up and Herbrandston emerged deserved 3-0 victors, letting Kilgetty off lightly when they could easily have doubled the scoreline.

There were no excuses about the conditions either, because the customary strong crossfield breeze was absent and although there were as many shades of brown on the surface as there were green, it was still firm enough underfoot for both teams to get the ball on the deck and play some football worthy of this beautiful game.

However, it was Herbrandston who played a faster pass and move game and they appeared much more committed right from the off, so much so they swamped Kilgetty in the middle of the park and they used the pitch to their best

advantages. Wave upon wave of green shirts regularly bore down on their opponents' goal, creating chances seemingly at will.

Despite their dominance, though, they failed to breach the villagers' goal line, with the woodwork proving to be a more than able 12th man in the Kilgetty defence.

Just when it looked like Kilgetty were going to hold on until half-time without conceding, thus giving them the advantage of the slope in the second half, Herbrandston finally managed to get the breakthrough their efforts so richly deserved.

As the ball was cleared from a set play, 'Chiffi' uncharacteristically moved away from the ball, like it was a bearer of hot coals and ill-tidings, leaving the man he was marking free and therefore exposing his side's defence down their left flank.

The resulting cross was bundled into the net and the home team went in at the break relatively happy and the villagers received a roasting of Barry Fry proportions from Alan Hurst.

The second half saw the game open up a bit more, but Kilgetty failed to create a single chance of any distinction and on occasion they failed to string more than two passes together.

They still had to try and take the game to their opponents, though, and the more they pressed, the gaps in defence increased in both size and regularity.

Herbrandston, to their credit, maintained their impressive work rate, and their superior appetite for the battle was sustained for the full 90 minutes, which in itself created a handful of opportunities.

Christian Phillips was forced into a couple of full-length saves, the woodwork stood firm yet again and eventually the win was secured with two well-taken goals late in the game.

On a different day, with a different attitude, the match may have been more even, but Kilgetty lacked the spirit of the previous week and as Herbrandston's name went into the soft velvet bag for the draw for the next round, the boys in blue headed back to the village lamenting a poor performance and seeking a much-needed silver lining.

Hursty's comment - unprintable!

THE VILLAGE

THESAURUS