Sport

Merlins Bridge win West Wales Youth Plate

Published

4 years ago

May 9, 2022

Report by Jonny Sutton

A GLORIOUSLY sunny day at Richmond Park, Carmarthen saw Merlins Bridge play off against Rhos in the West Wales Youth Plate

Having finished 3rd and 4th in their league campaigns, both teams supporters turned out in anticipation of a keenly contested match.

The pre match billing was accurate and the crowd were treated to an action packed match full of high quality football from both an attacking and defending viewpoint.

A cagey 1st 45 minutes ended nil nil with Rhos in control of the possession whilst Bridge probably had the best chance of the half.

Pacey winger Tom Mezzetta put, the usually lethal Striker, Fletcher Picton through 1 on 1. Picton never quite had complete control of the ball and although he got a shot away, the Rhos keeper pulled off a fine save.

At the other end the Bridge defence, consisting of full backs Tyler Sutton, Rhys Corney and Centre Halves Callum O’Riordan, Josh Silk and Henry Thomas, kept the Rhos attack at arms length.

Nil-nil at half time but on the hour the game swung in Rhos’ favour. A free kick on the left was swung into the box where the Rhos Centre Half Harvey Ranford headed the ball back across goal for Jacob Humphreys to power a close rang header home despite Bridge appeals for offside.

This was the moment that the Bridge youngsters would sink or swim, with tiring legs and bodies and up against a side who now had their heads up.

For the next 5 minutes it looked like Rhos would pinch a second as their confidence grew but then a 2nd wind came.

Bridge got classy midfielder Leon Davies on the ball more through the hard working trio behind him – Iwan Davies, George Morris and Skipper Harrison Goddard. With Davies starting to pull the strings half chances started to be created.

With 15 minutes to go a break from wingman Tomos Gwillam was stopped with a foul. From the resulting free kick, a wicked dipping ball into the box, was knocked home by the unfortunate Cole Shingler for an own goal. Bridge didn’t care who scored, they were level and chasing a winner.

With their heads up and attacking they almost snatched it near the death through Callum Rees but his left footed effort lacked the pace to beat the keeper.

The final few minutes of normal time saw Bridge defend a number of dangerous set pieces but they held out to take the game to extra time

As extra time started, both sets of fans finger nails were down to the bone as the game was swinging back and forth.

The energy levels by now had dropped and Bridge were finding space for their full backs to push into, left back Sutton started to get more of the ball and was constantly used as an outlet for Bridge to get forward.

Late in the second period of extra time another Rhos ball into the box was cleared off the line from Corney with the keeper stranded.

With the full time whistle going, players all over the pitch collapsed knowing they’d given everything and the lottery of penalties was going to decide the tie.

Rhos were now favourites having won a shootout to progress in the previous round whereas Bridge had lost their previous shootout earlier in the season in the West Wales Cup Semi Final

The first 10 penalties were all tucked away with the Bridge scorers Josh Silk, Henry Thomas, Tomos Gwillam, Iwan Davies and Fletcher Picton.

With the pressure ramping up and sudden death kicking in, Bridge flinched first with George Morris having his penalty saved by the Rhos Keeper.

This was the moment for Griffiths to step up and become the hero. Firstly saving the Rhos penalty to ensure another round of penalties and then, after Rhys Corney tucked his away, he repeated the feat again, saving low down to his left hand side and sending his team into ecstatic celebrations

For the team and coach Kevin Thomas it was a great way to end the season and bow out of Junior Football.

TEAM: Niall Griffiths, Tyler Sutton, Callum O’Riordan, Josh Silk, Rhys Corney, Henry Thomas, George Morris, Harrison Goddard, Callum Rees, Fletcher Picton, Tom Mezzetta. Subs: Leon Davies, Iwan Davies, Daniel Aghamelu, Iwan “Iwy” Davies, Tomos Gwillam.

Sport

Haverfordwest RFC names Team of the Week

Published

2 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Herald Sport

HAVERFORDWEST Rugby Football Club has announced its latest Team of the Week, celebrating standout performers from across the junior age groups following another busy weekend of fixtures.

Players from the U7s through to the U16s Eagles have been highlighted for their work rate, teamwork and commitment on the pitch, with coaches praising the effort shown by all who took part.

The club said the selections recognise not only individual performances but the dedication shown by players at training and during matches throughout the season.

Parents and supporters were quick to share their congratulations online, with particular praise for U12s players George Bentley and Tom Wheeler, who impressed during their fixture.

Team of the Week – 14 December 2025

U7s: Ollie Bromham & Arthur Slee
U8s: Theo Headland & Lyla Phillips
U9s: Theo Canton & George Thornton
U10s: Rhys Davies
U10s Eagles: Frankie Campbell
U11s: Griff Jenkins & Ollie Edwards
U12s: George Bentley & Tom Wheeler
U12s Eagles: Cyra Ellis
U15s: Logan Keane
U16s Eagles: Laura Cichon

Coaches thanked players and families for their continued support as Haverfordwest RFC moves through the winter fixtures, saying the positivity around the club remains a key part of its success.

Sport

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

Published

1 day 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)