JANUARY 2, 2017

CARDIFF MET WIN NEW YEAR'S CLASH

Over 200 Barry Town fans made the short trip to Cardiff Met on New Year’s Eve, only to be left with quite the hangover, as their team were beaten by three goals to nil in the JD Welsh Premier League.

With the nation’s final game of 2016 kicking off at the unusual time of 1pm, a host of supporters were still queuing outside when Jordan Lam gave Met a sixth-minute lead and by the tenth minute, their day had gone from bad to even worse; Eliot Evans pouncing to double the Archers’ advantage.

Taking the game by the scruff of the neck and stifling Barry’s best efforts, plaudits must go to the hosts, who looked sharp on the Cyncoed surface and hungry to avenge their Boxing Day defeat.

With official Lee Evans having an uneventful time in the middle, only an unlikely cameo from the ref’s comedian namesake might have livened things up for Barry’s more shell-shocked supporters.

After Drew Fahiya came closest to pulling a goal back before half-time, the Town found better inroads after the break, even if their attempts at mounting a comeback were ultimately in vain.

Still having everything to do at one end, issues arose at the other; as influential goalkeeper Mike Lewis, who sporadically nursed an injury in the first half, was replaced by the spritely Joe Massaro.

While Massaro had proven himself a worthy deputy in December’s 1-1 draw with Bangor City, this enforced substitution on 51 minutes limited the outfield options for boss Gavin Chesterfield to two.

Sticking with his starters for most of the second period, Chesterfield’s men in green and white would amass more territory, but were unable to bag the breakthrough goal that may have turned the tide.

Introducing the effective Louis Gerrard and powerful Tyrrell Webbe as a final roll of the dice, Barry found themselves caught out at the back two minutes later when Lam doubled his personal tally.

At 3-0, there was no way back and a remarkable 2017 for Barry Town was destined to end on a low.

Nevertheless, the club remain in sixth position with two games until the JD Welsh Premier League’s January split; two goals ahead of Cefn Druids and a point clear of Llandudno, who upset Bangor 1-0 on New Year’s Day, with a goal in the final minute.

After the final round of first phase matches on Saturday 13 January, the division will split into two halves; with the top six contending for the title and European places, while the bottom six compete for the final place in the European play-offs, as well as battling against relegation.

Cardiff Met’s win against Barry confirmed their place in the top six, alongside champions and leaders The New Saints, plus European adventurers Connah’s Quay Nomads, Bangor City and Bala Town.

The final spot will belong to either Barry, Druids, Llandudno or, at a push, Newtown, although the Robins will need a variety of different results to go their way to scrape into the upper echelon.

This Saturday sees Barry head to second-placed Connah’s Quay, while Llandudno entertain Bala and Druids tackle a Carmarthen Town team rejuvenated by successive wins against Aberystwyth Town.

Kick-offs in each of the three games is at 2.30pm, with Newtown hosting the Met the prior evening.

Then, on the decisive final Saturday a week later, Barry welcome Bala to Jenner Park, Newtown host Prestatyn Town and Druids and Llandudno play each other at The Rock, all in 5.15pm kick-offs.