APRIL 3, 2018
BARRY CONTINUE CHARGE AT PLAY-OFFS
Barry Town United’s winning run in the JD Welsh Premier League stretched to six straight games on Saturday, as Gavin Chesterfield’s men battled to a 2-0 triumph over Prestatyn Town at Jenner Park.
Leading the charge by nine clear points, while retaining a game in hand, a further point or more from Saturday’s return fixture at Bastion Gardens would now see Barry win the Play-Off Conference with three fixtures to spare, with only Newtown and Llandudno still in with a chance of overtaking them.
Boosted by a handful of new and returning faces, Barry’s form since the Welsh top flight’s January split has been formidable, but feisty Prestatyn were no pushovers on Saturday and will pose another tricky obstacle this weekend, despite their relegation being confirmed with their Jenner Park defeat.
An ill-tempered affair at times, both visitors and hosts ended Saturday’s clash with ten men, as Prestatyn midfielder James Stead and Barry defender Luke Cooper collected two yellows apiece.
Nevertheless, Barry kept their cool to make it 18 points from 18 in Phase Two, with in-form forward Jordan Cotterill and resurgent teammate Drew Fahiya on target with the crucial goals at Jenner Park.
Having netted his team’s opener seven days prior at Aberystwyth, Cotterill would repeat the feat on Saturday, unleashing a half-volley that cannoned off the post and into goalkeeper Carl Jones’ net to score his fifth of this JD Welsh Premier League season, four minutes ahead of the half-time whistle.
With Stead receiving his marching orders from the subsequent melee, the struggling Seasiders might well have feared the worst, until the dismissal of Cooper with 58 minutes gone evened the numbers.
Changing up his on-field options, manager Chesterfield quickly introduced Fahiya for an already-booked Ryan Newman, before attacker James Demetriou made way for defender Lewis Cosslett.
With 71 minutes played, striker Jonathan Hood would go close for Barry; the former Port Talbot Town man unable to double their advantage, denied by an impressive save from goalkeeper Jones.
Instead, it would take the persistent hosts until the 86th minute to finally put the game to bed; Hood’s cross met by Fahiya, who made no mistake to score his second goal in three appearances.
Barry’s 2-0 victory was a fitting tribute to former player and manager Bobby Ferguson, who passed away last week and was honoured by both teams with a minute’s silence before Saturday’s kick-off.
A European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finalist with Cardiff City, Ferguson came to Barry in the 1968-69 season, occupying the role of player-manager at Jenner Park before moving to Newport County.
However, his greatest coaching success would come at Ipswich Town, where Ferguson assisted Bobby Robson to UEFA Cup glory in 1981, before taking the reins himself for a five-year stretch.
Barry now travel north to Prestatyn on Saturday (7th) hoping to wrap up their play-off qualification; an accomplishment that would sensationally put them in the hunt for UEFA Europa League football.
Kick-off at Bastion Gardens is at 2.30pm, with the next home match at Jenner Park following on Sunday 15th April, when Newtown will be the visitors in a 3.30pm kick-off (for live TV coverage).