Sport

Young Otters thrash Ystalyfera

Published

4 years ago

September 8, 2021

ON Saturday, September 4, in the Championship Cup Narberth RFC once again fielded a young development side against visiting Ystalyfera.

The game kicked off on a beautiful sunny afternoon in front of a large crowd who had come to see the first home match for about eighteen months.

Narberth got off to a flying start and after a mere five minutes youngster George MacDonald playing at scrum half picked the ball up from a ruck, darted round the blindside and chipped ahead. He gathered his own kick and dived over in the corner for the first try. Nick Gale converted from the touchline (7 – 0).

Shortly thereafter the Otters had a lineout close to the visitors try line and set up a rolling maul. When this was brought down close to the line Narberth No.8 Guto Davies, playing in only his third match for the home team, picked the ball up and barged his way over the try line. Gale again converted (14 – 0).

Ten minutes later and the Otters were on the scoreboard once again. From an attack by the visitors on the ten metre line young Otters flanker, Josh Hamer, turned the ball over and the ball was quickly fed to fly half Ashley Sutton who broke through the visitors defence and then passed to supporting winger, Will Hughes, who scored in the left hand corner. Another superb kick by Gale saw the try yet again converted (21 – 0).

Despite the scoreline Ystalyfera had been playing some good rugby and after an attack by the Otters broke down the visitors left wing got hold of the ball and kicked downfield. The ball bounced kindly for him and he was able to gather his kick and dive over in the corner. The conversion attempt failed (21 – 5).

Despite this set back Narberth continued to attack and within five minutes had scored again. An initial break by Prop Bradley Davies saw the ball spun across the Narberth backs with precision passing from centres Joe Hutchings and Jake Jenkins and it ended up with wing Dafydd Pritchard who dived over to score in the right hand corner. Once again Gale converted with a superb conversion (28 – 5).

The Otters attacking was relentless and after switching play across the field on at least four occasions the ball was swiftly fed by MacDonald to Ashley Sutton who found himself in space with only the visitors tight head Prop in front of him. He easily glided passed him and scored under the posts. Needless to say, the try was converted by Gale (35 – 5). The whistle then blew for half time.

Ystalyfera started the second half with renewed vigour and put the Otters under significant pressure but the home team’s defence had held firm during the first half and they were determined to try and keep the visitors out. Eventually however after a series of drives towards the line by the Ystalyfera forwards the ball was fed out to the visitor’s centre who sliced through the Otters defence and scored under the posts. The try was converted (35 – 12).

Ystalyfera were now gaining more possession and were looking to spread the ball wide at every opportunity. Another kick downfield by the visitor’s left wing saw the Otters rushing back to defend their line. From the ensuing ruck the ball was fed to fly half Sutton who made a half break before slipping the ball inside to Guto Davies.

He passed to centre Joe Hutchings who made further ground before offloading to Nick Gale who finally got the ball away to supporting flanker Josh Hamer who scored in the corner. Another excellent kick from Gale saw the try converted (42 – 12).

At this stage the floodgates started to open but in fairness to Ystalyfera they never stopped trying and the Otters had to work hard for the points. After a series of forward drives by hooker Rhodri Owens and Props Bradley Davies and Ifan James a gap opened up for replacement scrum half Declan Smith who ran in under the posts and Gale duly converted (49 – 12).

Almost from the kick off a lovely offload from young winger Ryan Scourfield saw Gale score in the corner and add the conversion (56 – 12).

It wasn’t long before the Otters were once again encamped on the visitors line and after several players were tackled just short of the line No.8 Guto Davies once again forced his way over the try line and Gale duly converted (63 – 12).

Ystalyfera refused to give up and with five minutes to go scored a consolation try by their winger which he duly converted (63 – 19). With the last move of the match Ashley Sutton side stepped his way through a number of now tired defenders to score under the posts. Gale completed his afternoon by kicking ten out of ten conversions (70 – 19).

After the match Team Manager Chris James said “With so many seasoned 1st team players unavailable today it was good to see several young players put their hands up for future selection. The 1st team coaches have been working very hard over the summer to get these youngsters up to Championship standard and whilst there will be some far more competitive teams to play during the season this augurs well for the Club’s future”.

Head Coach Sean Gale said that he had been impressed by several performances and all the coaches were very pleased with the hard work and dedication to training that many of these young players had put in pre-season.

Next week’s team selection would be causing them some headaches but that was just what they wanted.

Next week the Otters are again home in a Championship Cup match against Trebanos.

Sport

Bluebirds’ European Journey Continues in Season Four of You Can Have It All

Published

21 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Herald Sport

Club documentary series returns to document Haverfordwest County’s historic UEFA Conference League campaign

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY has confirmed the return of their club documentary series, You Can Have It All (YCHIA), later this month, showcasing the thrilling journey of last summer’s European adventure.

YCHIA first began filming in 2021, with Season One covering a rollercoaster 2021-22 campaign for the Bluebirds. The season ended with a dramatic top-flight survival, following a challenging period. Season Two shifted focus to the 2022-23 season, which saw the club qualify for Europe for the first time since 2004. The Bluebirds’ stunning play-off victory, which included back-to-back penalty shoot-out wins against Cardiff Met and Newtown, marked manager Tony Pennock’s first season in charge as a major success.

The excitement intensified as the series continued to cover their historic European campaign, which began with a trip to North Macedonia to face KF Shkëndija. Returning to Cardiff City Stadium for the second leg, the Bluebirds made club history by winning their first-ever European tie on penalties. The drama then took them to the Faroe Islands to face B36 Tórshavn, where they were controversially edged out by a single goal in the return leg.

Now, with further continental success under their belts, YCHIA returns for its fourth season, documenting last summer’s European adventure. This season follows Haverfordwest County’s journey through the qualifying rounds of the newly rebranded UEFA Conference League (UECL).

Providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access, the series tracks the Bluebirds’ travels to Malta for the first leg of their UECL first qualifying round tie against Floriana, and the return leg at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli a week later. The season also covers the build-up to the competition, including a visit to Geneva for the UEFA draw and a match against reigning Northern Ireland champions Linfield at Windsor Park, the national stadium.

Season Four will be released in three episodes on December 18, December 23, and January 2. You can watch You Can Have It All on Haverfordwest County’s YouTube channel by following this link. The club will also share highlights and snippets of the documentary across their social media platforms, so be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)!

News

Pembroke Dock coach helped steer Lando Norris to F1 world title

Published

3 days ago

December 11, 2025

Seren Baker

Local mentor recalls seven-year-old Norris as “one to watch from day one”

A FORMER Pembroke Dock man has been revealed as one of the earliest influences behind newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris – adding an unexpected Pembrokeshire chapter to one of the biggest sporting stories of the year.

Robert Dodds, who grew up in Pembroke Dock before later moving to Poole, was Norris’s first coach at BKC Racing. He began mentoring the future McLaren star when he was just seven years old, helping shape the early foundations of a career that reached its peak on Sunday (Dec 7) when Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Dodds said Norris’s talent was obvious from the very first outing.

“There was something special about him from day one,” he said. “By the time he was eight, he was already as quick as the 10–12-year-olds. He just had this will about him – he wanted it.”

Pembrokeshire link to a global success story

Dodds coached Norris for four years, guiding him through kart setup, technique, and competitive racecraft. He says he remains “immensely proud” that his own Pembrokeshire roots now form a small part of the world champion’s rise.

“Ten or fifteen years ago he was sat in the front of my van as we drove to tracks,” he said. “Now he’s flying around the world racing in Monaco. It’s incredible how far he’s come.”

That early development included a fierce sibling rivalry with Norris’s older brother, Oliver – something Dodds believes accelerated his progress.

“Because of that rivalry, his pace shot up. He wanted to beat his brother – and then he wanted to beat everyone.”

BKC Racing has produced other top talents too, including 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Phil Hanson, further underlining the pedigree of the team that helped launch Norris’s career.

The moment a champion first stood out

Dodds still recalls an early test at Clay Pigeon Raceway, where a seven-year-old Norris completed a lap in 39 seconds – a benchmark usually achieved only by much older cadet racers.

“He came past me with his thumb up – this tiny kid doing senior cadet times. That was the moment we knew.”

Norris seals his first world title

Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019, claimed his first podium in 2020, took pole position in 2021 and secured his first Grand Prix win in Miami in 2024. His 2025 campaign saw him take multiple victories before clinching the world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to lift the title.

Pride back home in Pembrokeshire

Motorsport fans across the county followed Sunday’s title decider closely, with many celebrating the unexpected local connection.

A local F1 fan who watched the race in a Haverfordwest pub told The Herald:
“Everyone here was proud of Lando – and hearing that one of his early coaches came from Pembroke Dock makes it feel like Pembrokeshire had a tiny part in his journey.”

Dodds, who continues to mentor young racers today, says Norris’s success is already inspiring the next generation.

“It’s like something out of a film. I’m proud of what he’s achieved – and proud to have been part of the journey.”

For Pembrokeshire, the story adds a local footnote to a global sporting triumph – and a reminder that world champions sometimes start out much closer to home than anyone realises.

Cover image:

Proud mentor: Pembroke Dock’s Robert Dodds helped shape Norris’s early racing career (Pic: Robert Dodds)

Sport

South Pembs Short Mat Bowls: East Williamston strengthen lead after Week 11

Published

6 days ago

December 9, 2025

Herald Sport

EAST Williamston tightened their grip at the top of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League table following another strong set of results in Week 11.

The week’s fixtures saw Lamphey beat Hundleton 8–2, St Johns defeat Badgers 8–2, Carew overcome Reynalton 7–3, and East Williamston record an impressive 8–2 win over Kilgetty.

The match between Llanteg and Cosheston was postponed, while St Twynnells had the bye. A catch-up fixture was also completed, ending St Twynnells 5–5 Cosheston.

Updated league table – Week 11

(Played – Won – Drawn – Lost – Shot Difference – Points)

East Williamston: 9–8–1–0 | +136 | 70 points
Reynalton: 9–5–1–3 | +54 | 53 points
St Johns: 9–4–1–4 | +14 | 46 points
Lamphey: 10–5–0–5 | +5 | 44 points
Hundleton: 9–4–1–4 | –17 | 44 points
St Twynnells: 9–4–1–4 | –34 | 43 points
Badgers: 10–3–1–6 | –41 | 43 points
Llanteg: 8–4–0–4 | –5 | 41 points
Cosheston: 9–3–1–5 | –13 | 40 points
Carew: 8–4–0–4 | –44 | 39 points
Kilgetty: 10–4–0–6 | –55 | 38 points

East Williamston remain clear leaders with a substantial shot-difference advantage, while the battle for the mid-table positions continues to tighten as the season progresses.

The South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association thanked teams for their cooperation with rearranged fixtures as the league moves toward the final stages.

Report courtesy of League Fixtures Secretary Steve Cox.