Sport

Bluebirds hit six in second half to sink Druids

Published

4 years ago

March 13, 2022

HAVERFORDWEST County netted six second-half goals to ease past bottom side Cefn Druids 6-1 at the Ogi Bridge Meadow on Saturday (Mar 12), making it back-to-back wins in the JD Cymru Premier Play-Off Conference.

Ben Fawcett scored a brace to take his goal tally for the season to seven, as Jack Wilson, Alhagi Touray Sisay and Danny Williams also found the net on an afternoon which also saw loanee Jordan Davies get off the mark for the Bluebirds.

The margin of victory is County’s joint-second highest in top-flight history, with their previous 6-1 success coming against Airbus UK Broughton in the 2004-05 season.

The result sees the Bluebirds move up one place to eighth in the overall standings, and second in the Play-Off Conference, three points behind Cardiff Met in seventh.

Manager Nicky Hayen, who was taking charge of his first game at the Ogi Bridge Meadow, made one change to the side that defeated Barry Town United 1-0 last week, with Fawcett replacing Williams in the starting lineup.

County were on the attack right from the first whistle, with Wilson’s cross from the edge of the area deflected into the hands of Druids goalkeeper Michael Jones.

Davies went close shortly after when he cut inside onto his right foot, before curling narrowly wide of the right post from just outside the area.

Fawcett’s first involvement of what would prove to be a busy afternoon was to see his shot from inside the area saved low down by Jones.

Just minutes later, Davies’ dangerous chipped cross into the area somehow managed to evade everyone and roll away to safety.

The best chance of the first-half came when Elliot Scotcher’s free-kick was blocked, but only into the path of Touray Sisay, who controlled the ball with his foot before heading it over Jones into the path of Wilson, but he was unable to direct it goalwards and saw his header come back off the crossbar.

The Bluebirds defence did well to scramble and block Liam Thomas’ shot from inside the area in first-half stoppage time to ensure the teams went into the break goalless.

However, in the exact same fashion as they had done against Barry the week before, County found the net just a minute after the restart. After Wilson had headed the ball back across goal, the Druids could only clear into the path of Fawcett, and he was on hand to strike first time into the right corner to give the Bluebirds the lead.

The Ancients responded just minutes later though. After winning the ball back high up the pitch, Thomas sprinted to the byline before squaring to Jelson Antonio, who benefitted from a slight touch off Scotcher before tapping in from point-blank range to make it 1-1.

Wilson and Corey Shephard both went close to putting the Bluebirds ahead again, but it was Davies who restored the hosts’ advantage when Wilson’s cross to the far post found the striker, and his clever touch took him past Jones to allow him to tap into an empty net.

Wilson again went close when he scuffed his effort just wide from inside the area, but he was not to be denied 10 minutes later when he showed excellent technique to let a high ball come down to him before hitting it first time and finding the right corner for his second goal of the season contender in a matter of weeks.

Things got even better for the Bluebirds when Fawcett’s strike from distance took a touch off an Ancients defender to direct the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 4-1.

There was still time for County to find the net on two more occasions in the closing stages. Firstly, Touray Sisay pounced on a loose ball inside the area to chip over Jones for his eighth league goal of the season, before Danny Williams finished off what could well be the team’s most impressive goal of the season to date.

An attack, which started with goalkeeper Lee Idzi, saw the Bluebirds complete 18 passes as they worked their way up the field, before Fawcett’s crisp pass to Shephard was directed into the path of Williams with an eye-catching flick, and the substitute took the ball around Jones to roll into an empty net and round off an excellent afternoon for Haverfordwest County.

The Bluebirds are next in action on Tuesday evening, when they travel to Park Avenue to take on Aberystwyth Town. Kick-off is at 8pm.

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

Published

20 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.