With the proper league over and done with, the men from South Pembrokeshire Hockey Club entered themselves into a mini Spring League tournament alongside five or six bigger clubs to play that little bit extra hockey before the summer break.
This week, South Pembs welcomed Neath to the Bush Sports Centre in what turned out to be a very exciting fixture. South Pembrokeshire fielded a squad with a mixture of both first and second team players.
Most notably making their first team debuts and deputising for top goal scorer Jamie Smith and veteran right back Nigel Thomas were Huw Hanniford and Anthony Makin, both of whom are only 17. Both players performed extremely well. Huw in particular really impressed with his lightning quick runs and dogged determination.
Huw joined big brother Dave in the South Pembs. attack and the younger of the two Hanniford brothers has definitely put himself in contention for a regular first team place and was unlucky not to get himself on the score sheet with the best opportunity of the first half.
The whole team felt his disappointment after seeing his goal disallowed for an unknown infringement.
Although there were chances in the first half for both sides, neither of them managed to get the important opening goal. South Pembrokeshire looked strong in all areas and Neath were unable to penetrate the Pembrokeshire team's defence. Dave Miller was in usual fine form in the home team's goal, with Andy Stear, Simon Moseley, Sean Irving and Dave Ferguson playing defence in front of him.
The second half was when all the action started to happen. Tim Lounds scored a superb solo goal from a seemingly impossible angle, more or less straight from the push back.
Monsieur Robbie Woods added another goal, with credit going to skipper Bernie Wheeler for the assist. Woods provided a vital spark for South Pembs. after returning refreshed from his jaunt on the Continent.
Free-flowing hockey followed and perhaps the over-confidence was to blame for a lapse in concentration when Neath were able to claw two goals back.
The game remained in deadlock until a spectacular move, which involved several South Pembrokeshire players, ended up with a brilliant pass from left half Dave Hanniford to striker Steve Kendrick, who followed up the rebound of his own shot to score the winner.
There were no mistakes this time and South Pembrokeshire held on to the end.
Anthony Makin aka Fish also got a brief run out and alongside Huw Hanniford will be 'one to watch for the future'.
Team: Dave Miller, Andy Stear, Simon Moseley, Sean Irving, Dave Ferguson, Dave Hanniford, Tim Lounds, Bernie Wheeler (capt.), Robert Woods, Steve Kendrick, Huw Hanniford, Anthony Makin.