Tenby U16s played at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli, on Tuesday, April 19, under floodlights against Sandfields Colts. Making the final of the West Wales Cup competition is a tremendous achievement in itself, and Tenby U16s knew they were going to be playing a quality team, with Sandfields Colts being champions of the Swansea League and arguably the favourites for the competition.

A fantastic spring evening made way for both teams to be able to play excellent running football under the conditions.

Sandfields started the strongest putting Tenby under tremendous pressure for the first 10-15 minutes; securing a goal as just reward for their efforts. Credit to the Tenby players, they did not panic under the pressure and a superb power-header from captain Max Brindley brought the scores back to 1-1 going in to the interval.

A ferocious battle in midfield for the best part of the game resulted in each team cancelling out the other and it took a moment of brilliance from Billy Lawrence who turned in midfield and after beating several players played an inch-perfect ball over the Sandfields defence to on-form striker Tom Harding Jones, who controlled the ball on his chest, at full pace, and half-volleyed past the advancing Sandfields ’keeper into the corner of the net to put Tenby 2-1 ahead, and really knock the Sandfields team ‘on their heels.’

With the clock ticking, the tie appeared to be edging in Tenby’s favour, with the referee indicating full-time was up and the fourth official confirming there was four minutes of injury time to be played. Credit must go to Sandfields who never gave up, and eventually scored a stunning free-kick with only minutes remaining.

With fingernails of all supporters, and coaches, down to the bone, 20 minutes of extra-time was played out and with the score remaining at 2-2, the ‘dreaded’ penalty shoot out had to happen.

Both sets of coaches congratulated each other at this stage for getting to the final. The penalty takers were decided and the boys took their position in the centre circle.

Sandfields won the toss of the coin and opted to go first. A fantastic strike from the Sandfields player beat the Tenby ’keeper, but smashed into the post, leaving Max Brindley to step up knowing he could put his team ahead, once again.

Max strolled up to the spot and coolly passed his free-kick into the corner of the net giving Tenby a 1-0 advantage over the opposition. (A penalty Alan Brindley would have been proud off as he has always explained to the boys that hitting the target is the most important job when taking a penalty, and not break the back of the net).

With pressure mounting on the Sandfields players, Ollie Brown, the Tenby goalkeeper, did his best ‘Bruce Grobbellaar’ impression to psyche out the opposition and made a superb save to the delight of the players and supporters.

Tenby’s terrier Henry McBeth stepped up to take the second penalty for the club, and he, too, expertly placed his penalty in the back of the net, putting the score at 2-0.

Sandfields knew they needed to score the next penalty or it could be out of their control as to who got their hands on this prestigious cup. With silence in the stadium, the Sandfields player drove the ball hard at the goal and on-form Ollie Brown (who seemed to take the whole occasion in his stride) pulled off another magnificent save to give Tenby the chance of victory.

No better player to step up at such a crucial time than Tom Harding Jones. Knowing that his goal would win the game, Tom nonchalantly passed the ball into the net, giving Tenby a 3-0 victory on penalties and bringing the West Wales Under 16s Youth Cup home to Tenby AFC for the first time in the club’s history.

A fantastic achievement for the squad and Tenby Football Club as a whole. The Under 16s have the final of the Pembrokeshire Cup tonight (Friday), at Bridge Meadow, Haverfordwest, kick-off 6.15, and let’s hope they can do the double.

Tenby squad (for the history books): Ollie Brown, Henry McBeth, Max Brindley (capt.), Curtis Hicks, Ben Rossiter, Dylan Scotcher, Thomas Rees, Connor Carroll, Harvey Longstone, Tom Cole, Billy Lawrence, Zac Rowell, Rowan Nicolson, Fin Bowie, Tom Harding Jones, Damian Gorzach.