With a 56-year-old centre forward, left half, 53, centre half, 52, sweeper, 46, and some inexperienced players coming into the side, the Pembrokeshire First XI this week looked like something out of Dad's Army.

Under siege from the start, Pembrokeshire held out and hit Whitchurch on the break, being awarded a penalty corner, which Smith put away into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

Pembs. defended a string of short corners, with Gary McKenzie stopping a minimum of three shots on the goal-line and goalkeeper Tom Stamp saving shots which seemed to be coming in from all angles.

Tim Lounds was in the centre of all things constructive for Pembs. and, with a breakout from the 22-metre line, drove the length of the pitch to link with Minney and Smith, which resulted in a second penalty corner. Wheeler slipped the ball to Smith, who buried it into the Whitchurch goal to put Pembs. 2-0 up.

Xen Onisiforou, moving up from the seconds, did well in keeping his attacker well marked, with Nathan Beynon making his presence known, but Steve Kendrick unfortunately had one of those games where he must have felt he shouldn't have turned up.

Pembs. were again put under pressure and, with more short corners to defend, something had to give. It was from several rebounds off the original strike at goal from one of these short corners that the Whitchurch striker managed to finally breach the Pembs. defence to make it 2-1 at half-time.

Turning around into the gale, Pembs., from the restart, found themselves defending once again. Age and treachery seemed to overcome youth and enthusiasm, with the Pembs. old-timers not giving any quarter. However, Whitchurch drew level when their centre forward latched on to a long through ball and slotted it into the goal.

Lounds and Cole worked tirelessly down the centre and the right, with both players being taken out illegally by the Whitchurch centre back which went unpunished.

Some fine defence from Beynon and inter-passing down the wing put Smith into the goal area where a penalty corner was awarded. A training ground move saw Wheeler slip the ball to Cole, who finished in style.

Several other chances were now opening up for the Pembs. attack as Whitchurch tried to get back on level terms. Lounds shot wide from a short corner move, Smith hit the post and had two shots turned around the post. Minney found himself one-on-one with the 'keeper, but could not convert.

The equaliser came from a break deep within the Whitchurch half. A second for their centre forward was scored with just minutes to go.

Pembs. team: T. Stamp, G. McKenzie, X. Onisiforou, N. Beynon, S. Irvine, S. Kendrick, B. Wheeler, T. Lounds, G. Cole, B. Minney, J. Smith (capt.).

Umpires: D. Miller and P. deWhit.

DEPLETED SECONDS

Pembrokeshire 2nd XI, depleted by the absence of many of their senior players who were playing in the 1st XI game, saw a youthful team take on Cardiff and, although losing in this away game, held at the National Stadium in Cardiff, they still remain third in South Wales division three.

Team: M. Bowles, T. Ferguson, J. Arnold, L. Gammon, E. Williams, M. Thomas, H. Cox, T. Warrell, D. Ferguson, G. Donaghie.