Manderwood Pembrokeshire League Division 2: Fishguard Sports 5-0 Camrose

A return to Division One had already been secured – and Fishguard Sports will now go up as champions after a dominant display against Camrose at Tregroes Park tonight.

The Sports had all but mathematically sealed the title before kick off, but duly got the result they needed as goals from Keegan Summers (2), Matt Harries, Niall Kinsella and an own goal sealed a 5-0 win.

And the delight of the players was obvious afterwards as captain Billy Moore received the silverware from Rowena Lloyd, President of the Pembrokshire Football League, and for manager Brian Kinsella the night rounded off a perfect first league season in charge.

“The boys have been fantastic for me from day one,” he told Telegraph Sport.

“All I asked was them to give me everything and they’ve done that.

“I’m confident this group of players can compete in Division One. We may look to bring one or two in but we have a steady squad now and they deserve this.”

First half pressure pays off:

Fishguard missed a chance to seal the title on Saturday when they lost at Merlins Bridge 2nds, but kicked off tonight determined to avoid any further delay.

The first 45 minutes was one way traffic as home striker Harries put an early chance over, and Camrose defender Liam James twice made vital interceptions with his side under pressure.

But 16 minutes in the first goal came from Summers went clean through and slotted a shot under a diving Craig Beacham.

The Camrose keeper then did well to push away Danny Hopkin’s effort but after 24 minutes it was 2-0, Summers again finding space in the area and composing himself before firing into the bottom corner.

And just after the half hour mark Kinsella’s side made the game, and the title, safe with two goals inside 90 seconds.

First Ieuan Llewellyn’s cross was diverted into his own net by Sion Williams, and moments later Patrick Hughes picked out Harries at the back post and he made no mistake with a header back across Beacham.

Niall knocks in a fifth:

Inevitably, the second half didn’t match the intensity of the first but to the credit of Camrose, who had already secured safety in their first season since promotion from Division Three, they didn’t cave in.

Jordan Raymond had a free kick saved by Fishguard keeper Dean Hopson but then after an hour, it was a set piece at the other end which brought about Fishguard’s fifth goal - Kinsella curling his 20 yard shot around the wall and into the bottom corner.

Jamie Gilderdale’s side did go close to a consolation as Paul Jenkins just failed to get on the end of a Raymond cross – and the latter then fired over the rebound after James Williams’s free kick was palmed out by Hopson.

Back where they belong:

Once upon a time, Fishguard Sports were a prominent top flight side in Pembrokeshire football.  So it will be good to see them back there for the first time since being relegated in the 2002/03 campaign.

That season things got pretty bleak. Following a 21-0 defeat to Hakin there was talk of the club folding but now Chairman Owen Duggan and the late John Evans were determined to keep things going – and the Sports hung on to finish the season.

“I think we ended up with 1 point and at times we were almost pulling people off the street to play,” said Duggan.

“Back then it was unthinkable that a Division 1 team might fold – had it have been nowadays we’d probably have had to pull out.”

A difficult period followed. The second team temporarily folded and the firsts fell down as low as Division Four.

But gradually things improved. In 2011/12 the club overcame a nine point deduction to be promoted into Division Three as runners up, and then duly won their new league at the first attempt.

Now they are back in Division One and that is fitting reward for people like Duggan, whose contribution these past two decades can’t be understated.

“It hasn’t been easy at times but there has always been a good spirit here no matter what Division we’ve been in,” he said.

“Everybody seems pleased for us which is nice and we look forward to next season.”

Fishguard Sports: Dean Hopson, Billy Moore, Anthony Couzens, Matthew Lewis, Ieuan Llewellyn, Patrick Hughes, Danny Hopkin, Lewis Banks, Niall Kinsella, Keegan Summers. Matt Harries. Subs: Jac Pepper, Tom Lawrence, Gareth Mathias.

Camrose: Craig Beacham, Jack Bevan, Liam James, Kevin Phillips, Dan Phillips, Paul Jenkins, Matt Dickenson, Sion Williams, Connor Planner, Jordan Raymond, Dan Llewellin. Subs: Iwan Osbourne, James Williams, Mark Collins.

Referee: Angus Scourfield.