He’s seen the highs and he’s seen the lows, but in his 20-plus years involvement with the club, Haydn Shapcott can’t remember scenes quite like it as he helped his team reach the semi-finals of the West Wales Intermediate Cup.

In beating Swansea-based Giants Grave, it was the furthest the Rooks had gone in the competition since the great team of 1970.

That the game went ahead in the first place was down to the dedication and sheer bloody mindedness of an army of volunteers who were on hand to clear away pools of water that had developed due to excessive rain.

Very few games went ahead again over the weekend, but Carew weren’t going to die wondering and let this one slip away.

They wanted to play the game for two reasons.

Firstly, had they not and the game been postponed, they would have to play away the following week and secondly, Giants Grave brought around 70 supporters with them and they were intending to make their trip count in the bar after the game.

It was a good day all round for the club, both on the pitch and for their coffers off it.

“The groundstaff did an excellent job,” said Shapcott. “There were about 15 of us altogether trying to get the pitch ready and to be fair, I’ve played on worse pitches this season.”

Giants Grave were a typical Swansea side, a team full of footballers not afraid to dish it out and their supporters were not afraid to tell Carew’s players what they thought of them.

They played hard on the pitch and even harder off it. They took defeat well too.

“Absolute top lads,” said Shapcott.

He thought the same of his team, too, after the performance they gave.

It took a rollicking from Rooks manager Rob Scourfield to get the best out of the hosts. They were trailing 2-1 going into the break and could have been 3-1 down had Tom Davies not made a spectacular save just before the oranges.

Sam Christopher gave the home team the lead early on in the game before the visitors responded soon after and increased the lead after 30 minutes had gone.

“They were the better side in the first half for sure,” added Shapcott. “For the last part of the first half they were all over us.

“Maybe we were a bit leggy after the semi-final of the Senior Cup a few days before, but we knew that we had the better of the second half in that game and we didn’t want to let this one slip, we wanted the game to define our season, Turkey (Rob Scourfield) made sure of that too.

“He’s a great motivator and got us going for the second half and once Izzy (Iwan Izzard) equalised, we started to get on top.”

Other goals followed with Sam Christopher grabbing the third and Scott Fearne the final two, with Christopher and Fearne causing havoc with their pace as the game wore on.

Carew will face either Goodwick United or Ystradgynlais in the next round.

In league action, Angle lost 2-1 at home to West Dragons, while Pennar Robins beat Herbrandston 3-1 thanks to goals from Phil John Connor Roberts and Mike Ryder.

In the fourth division, St. Clears’ seconds beat St. Ishmaels 14-1, with the evergreen Steve Trivett scoring four, as did Joe Gouldingray.

Lewis Driscoll hit three, with the others coming from Tristan Hancock, Jamie Thomas and Harry Griffiths.

Pennar Robins’ thirds drew 0-0 with Neyland seconds

Meanwhile, in division five, Cosheston beat Letterston seconds 5-2 after a hat-trick by Dalton Boswell and one each from Ryan Bowen and John Williams.

All other games were postponed causing havoc for the league programme again.

Fixture secretary Mike Phillips admits the season will now go into May due to all the postponements.

Lawrenny, for example, have to play a further 16 games to complete the season!

Fixtures

WWFA Intermediate Cup Fifth Round: Bwlch Rangers v Merlins Bridge, Goodwick United v Ystradgynlais.

Division One: Carew v Narberth, Clarbeston Road v Pennar Robins, Hakin United v Angle, Milford United v Lamphey, Neyland v Herbrandston, West Dragons v Monkton Swifts.

Division Two: Fishguard Sports v Hakin United II, Kilgetty v Lawrenny, Letterston v Hundleton, Merlins Bridge II v Johnston, Prendergast Villa v St. Clears, Saundersfoot Sports v Llangwm, St. Ishmaels v Solva.

Division Three: Camrose v Manorbier United, Narberth II v Carew II, Pembroke Boro v Clarbeston Road II, Pendine v Broad Haven, Pennar Robins II v Goodwick United II, St. Florence v Milford United II.

Fourth Division Cup Second Round 2 pm kick off: Llangwm II v Fishguard Sports II, Pennar Robins III v Kilgetty II.

Division Four: Angle II v Herbrandston II, Broad Haven II v St. Clears II, Lamphey II v Neyland II, Monkton Swifts II v St. Ishmaels II.

Fifth Division Cup Second Round 2 pm kick off: Hundleton II v Letterston II, Johnston II v Camrose II, Milford United III v Carew III.

Division Five: Lawrenny II v Cosheston AFC, Milford Athletic II v Saundersfoot Sports II.