NOVEMBER 14, 2017
BARRY MAKE IT TWO WINS FROM TWO
Barry Town United made it six points from six this November on the weekend - and will now travel to Newtown this Saturday afternoon (2.30pm kick-off) for what appears to be a classic six-pointer.
Victory for the travelling Town against the Robins would take them eight points clear of the JD Welsh Premier League ever-presents and potentially into the top six, should other results go their way.
However, a win for Newtown though would bring them within two points of Barry, easing their relegation fears and keeping themselves a step ahead of Aberystwyth Town and Prestatyn Town.
Barry and Newtown have already met once this JD Welsh Premier League campaign, with a brace from striker Kayne McLaggon handing the Town the September spoils in a 2-0 win at Jenner Park.
Last weekend, Gavin Chesterfield’s team would be 2-0 winners again, earning retribution against former JD Welsh Premier League leaders Llandudno in a match broadcast live on BBC Radio Wales.
Kicking off with the same XI that started the 1-0 win at The New Saints, Barry began on the front foot, with Louis Gerrard firing wide after good work from McLaggon, who himself would threaten.
Finding their feet under new manager Iwan Williams, the visitors’ resistance was broken in the 31st minute, when Jordan Cotterill showed strong control and vision to pick out teammate McLaggon.
Under pressure from a Llandudno defender, Barry’s leading goalscorer then flicked the ball on for Chris Hugh, who regained his feet after the initial tackle and slid the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
Highly-respected for his role in the Barry defence, the opener marked Hugh’s first for the club, on what was his 48th competitive appearance. One goal to the good, the Town were up and running.
Seven minutes later, Barry doubled their advantage, punishing a lapse in the Llandudno midfield.
Beating his man to the ball, it was Cotterill again who got things rolling, feeding McLaggon in space.
Terrorising his marker with a step over, McLaggon then unleashed a low, long-range strike that bounced at the right point to bamboozle and beat a diving Dave Roberts in the Seasiders’ goal.
Pounding the ground in frustration, Roberts had marshalled a top defensive display in September’s reverse fixture, but now found his side some two goals adrift against a Town team with their tail up.
In the second half, Roberts would be forced to make a fantastic stop from substitute Drew Fahiya, doing well to also save a header from captain Ryan Evans, after Hugh’s corner kick from the right.
At the opposite end though, his teammates could pose little threat to Barry goalkeeper Mike Lewis and the Town instead saw out their fifth JD Welsh Premier League victory of the 2017-18 campaign.
Now, as attention turns to the pursuit of a sixth, success at Newtown on Saturday afternoon could see Barry stake their claim for sixth position; an example of how quickly things can change in the JD Welsh Premier League, after the club had struggled to turn good play into results across October.
As the Town endured testing times before their sensational result at TNS, the Robins were beaten four times in succession themselves before snapping their streak at bottom-placed Carmarthen.
Goals in the closing minutes from Neil Mitchell and Luke Boundford secured the points at Richmond Park; an outcome that will boost morale for the mid-Wales side, ahead of Barry’s visit this weekend.
With Town expected to bring strong support to Latham Park, a positive result could be extra-sweet for all who travelled in 2013, as Barry suffered a narrow Welsh Cup semi-final defeat to Prestatyn.
The next weekend then sees another trip to a Welsh Cup haunt, as the Town tackle Cefn Druids at the Rock, aiming to avenge a 5-2 loss there in 2014 and the 3-1 setback at Jenner Park in October.