We hope you enjoy our latest delve into the nice stories of yesterday that showed our local sporting characters are just that – people who make a few daft decisions but enjoy life to the full.

Every one of them is smashing and we thank them for letting us share their small stories with you to brighten things up at this difficult time!

 

Alan was so vain

 
Alan Johnstone is a terrific, larger than life character from Neyland I first met when I was teaching him in Milford Central School – and we have stayed pals ever since – and I think this little golfing story sums him up . . .
 
Alan Johnston plays football for Neyland but over the last couple of years has begun to make quite a name for himself at Milford Haven Golf Club, both on and off the course.

He was one of a hardy band of golfers who took part in the club’s 1992 annual Town versus Docks competition, which traditionally marks the end of the summer golfing season, in quite monsoon conditions that left everyone soaked to the skin.

It was in the changing rooms afterwards that the fun started when Alan pulled out of his kit bag a neat little hair drier and started to give his absolutely white hair a blow dry – no mean feat because his hair is always kept so short he almost looks bald.

His colleagues fell about laughing because they couldn’t believe he could be so vain and I’m reliably informed that before the same fixture in 1993 he is going to be presented with a very large mirror, so he can look at himself at every opportunity!


 

Tom takes a tenner off five team mates

 


When Tom Scourfield set out in the Carew first team he was rightly regarded as a useful young wicketkeeper but felt he was a better batsman than he was sometimes given credit for.

Always a confident young feller, Tom showed he could back up his words with some actions – as he proved with what happened in the following little story . . .
 
Tom Scourfield is a talented young wicket-keeper with Carew CC's first team but feels that he is a better batsman than he is given credit for - and perhaps he proved a point in a recent Welsh Cup game against Barry where he certainly showed his all-round prowess and came away £50 better off as a bonus.

When Tom was told he would be opening the batting he showed his self-confidence by stating that he would reach a half century - and when a few of his colleagues expressed a little doubt he offered to bet them £10 each.

In the end there were five takers for his wager and Tom duly came up with the goods, reaching his stated milestone and collecting a nice little sum in the process as he certainly proved his point!
 
*I later discovered that ‘Young Skerks’ also bet two other team-mates a couple of pints each and after the match he promptly downed them as well – he’s a bit of a boy!*
 
 

A very expensive can of mower fuel for John

 


One of the better-known married couples on the county sporting scene is John and Jill Donnachie, who in their time have been terrific supporters of Lamphey and Carew Cricket Clubs, as well as Haverfordwest County and Lamphey Football Clubs, the latter where he was also a successful football manager.

Jill always has some chocolate biscuits, cakes or other tasty treats and I miss them on the boundary this season because I was never slow to enjoy a treat or two.

John knows his onions in both games – but the following snippet shows that he wasn’t quite as sharp at looking after his posh Audi car, which was his pride and joy!
 
John enjoys his garden in Freshwater East and recently remembered that he needed some petrol for his mower – and duly trotted off to the local garage to get a can of fuel.

He received £15 in change and thought he might as well top up the Audi’s tank, which he did before setting off for home.

But, strangely, he had difficulty in starting the car and it suddenly dawned on him that he’d put petrol in, instead of diesel!

Of course, what happened next was the fact that the all the things like the petrol tank being drained, the fuel lines and filter steam cleaned throughout so it made for an expensive topping up of a few quids’ worth of fuel!

Then our John had to go home and explain things to his much better half but with her typically sweet nature he was soon forgiven – but I bet the next time he needs to top up his mower he will be a little more careful with his beloved car!

Give some pity to run out 'Titch' ...

 


All sportsmen hate being out of action injured and Whitland’s very successful young cricketing skipper Matthew Davies was no exception when he was injured for a spell and had to relinquish the captaincy – and returned to suffer the indignity of being dismissed in unusual circumstances without facing a ball . . .
 
Spare a thought for Matthew ‘Titch’ Davies, who led Whitland to their first-ever Harrison-Allen Bowl win a couple of seasons ago but then was side-lined with a nasty leg injury which forced him to relinquish the captaincy for the 2013 season.

After a successful operation he managed to play a few games towards the end of the last season and one of his first matches was for Whitland 2nds against their counterparts from Haverfordwest on The Racecourse. When his turn came to bat it was easy to see how excited ‘Titch’ was about it and he looked the part as he marched out onto the pitch, helmet on and bat nonchalantly stuck under his arm.

He stood at the bowler’s end for the first delivery and could only look aghast as a nice straight drive was deflected onto the stumps by Town bowler Ajay Revu with ‘Titch’ stranded out of his crease and therefore run out without even facing a ball!

He had to march back to the changing rooms with not quite the same spring in his step but I’m glad to report that he was soon back to his cheery best – and it will be nice to see him back in action on a regular basis next season.


 

Bernie’s bass were top notch

 
 

Bernie Armstrong is best known as a goal scorer with Goodwick United, Merlins Bridge and a few other clubs and he’s also one of Pembrokeshire’s best table tennis players – but it seems that Bernard has developed another sporting string to his bow, judging by the way this particular story went . . .
 
Bernie Armstrong is a dab hand at fishing in the sea near his home at Goodwick, judging the tides to perfection and knowing just where to get the bait, where to fish and at what time; skills he learned as a teenager when he fished near his Hakin home at Gellyswick Bay and other smaller beaches nearby.

This was recently shown to perfection when he dug out some king ragworm when the tide was out at Goodwick and just trotted across on to the quay at Goodwick, spent a couple of relaxing hours with rod and line, and returned to Armstrong Mansions with two lovely sea bass.

Nice guy that he is, Bernie gave one of the bass away to a footballing friend and the other was nicely cooked by Mr Armstrong, which is another skill he has.

He was quickly on the phone to tell me about his catch and I’ve just realised that I’m singing his praises – and he didn’t even offer me a sniff of one!