Milford Atheltic into the hat after seven goal thriller

On a day when the awful Pembrokeshire weather decimated the fixture list once again, the game between Milford Athletic and Carew 3rds at Pill Lane was deemed playable with a morning pitch inspection.

Both teams have struggled in the league this season, with Athletic finally finding some semblance of their previous good form more recently. Whilst the pitch was heavy through the middle, it was firm underfoot and both teams were glad to get the game on.

Playing downhill in the first half, Athletic dominated play and had a number of chances before Referee Marty Jones awarded a penalty to the home team in the 8th minute. Club stalwart Dave Hawkins neatly slotted the pen home for a deserved lead, and Athletic looked keen to put the game out of sight going 2 up on 11 minutes. Carew battled hard and kept in the game until the 31st minute when Athletic scored their third, and surely killed the game as a competitive tie. 3-0 with just over half hour played.

To their credit, in driving rain, Carew stepped up a gear and quickly scored 2 superb goals through Jack Broadhurst and Sam Goodwin (who had a blinder today) giving Carew renewed hope for the tie. There was no doubt Carew finished the half stronger, and with the advantage of playing downhill in the second half, the tie was still on a knife edge.

A much closer second half, on a pitch that was now just barely playable, seemed likely to play out with no further addition to the scoreline, when up popped Pete Tunstallbto add a fourth for the home team and this time surely seal the tie.

Both teams were trying to play good football, but the pitch was truly awful at this stage, with the referee checking the playing surface numerous times during the latter stages. It seemed Athletic were cruising home when, in injury time, Carew scored their third of the afternoon, and really made the last few minutes of added time exciting! Despite their best efforts Carew couldn’t equalise, and the home team progress through to the 4th division Cup semi final in a thrilling cup tie, made all the more difficult by horrendous playing conditions.

On an afternoon where the game could have easily got away from the players and ref, both teams played sensibly making the referees afternoon an easy one with just the one booking all game.

Credit to both clubs for managing difficult conditions perfectly and good luck to Athletic in their semi final.