Shadow over future as Town clinch title again

In a highly entertaining game on Tuesday night, Barry convincingly beat the West Walians to claim their fourth successive League of Wales championship.

Gary Barnett was quick to point out that this has been the most difficult, because the standard has improved, with no walkovers.

Also teams are keen to beat Barry and there is pressure on the lads to perform week in and week out and Barry have not the strength in depth that they have previously enjoyed.

Nevertheless, the league has been won and Barry did it against Carmarthen without Gary Lloyd, Richard Jones, Gareth Shone, Paul Mitchell and David Wells who are all injured.

In the starting line up were two front runners who are currently on loan, they are John Jones from Chester who has 20 or so first team games and is only 20 and Chris Sloan, a 21-year old from Bristol City. Jones scored a goal and Sloan scored a creditable hat-trick, both players doing well. Barry's other scorers were Mark Dempsey and Justin Perry.

Referee Steve Jones of Swansea had a better second half but was, as in previous matches, not fully aware of what is going on, however he booked four Carmarthen players early on for bad challenges and dissent.

After only seven minutes, the visitors went ahead when Tony Rees crossed a ball to Parker who seemed to let the ball hit him and it bounced into the corner of the net. Carmarthen are the only side to have beaten Barry on their ground this season and may have fancied doing the double

Dempsey was continuing his fine form firing in a couple of 25 yarders and Ryan Nicholls went close for Carmarthen. Barry though were in no mood to be denied their championship night and they began to bombard the away goal and Danny Carter had an on target 30 yarder, just saved by the goalkeeper.

Carter became provider, his cross was met by Sloan's head and it was 1-1 on 38 minutes. Dempsey took out two of his markers and fired from just outside the box into the corner to make it 2-1 at half-time and put Barry in the driving seat.

Dempsey created the third goal, his speculative cross cum shot found a defender playing the ball inadvertently to John Jones, who gratefully fired home in the 49th minute. Just a minute later, Carmarthen pulled one back, Nicholls fired home and it 3-2.

In a game which was end to end with Terry Evans and Rossiter for Carmarthen, trying to add to the scoreline, ex-Barry player Steve Williams was sent off in the 65th minute for handling the ball and stopping it going into the net.

Dempsey hit the resultant penalty wide and it was not until the 77th minute that Barry went 4-2 ahead and into the safety zone. Lee Barrow crossed and Sloan headed his second.

Darren Davies, with two superb crosses provided Sloan with his hat-trick on 88 minutes and Perry with a powerful header on 90.

This often bruising encounter saw the Deeside Club having two players sent off by Merthyr referee Howard Griffiths, but by the time the first of the two players had taken an early shower Town had already built up the insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Manager Tomi Morgan was in the position of fielding an unchanged side from the previous Wednesday's match against TNS, and from the outset they took up the initiative to pressurise their visitors, and keeper Leigh Edwards was indeed a busy man.

Town's first goal came in the 21^st. minute when Sion Meredith, bursting through a static defence instigated a perfect one-two situation with fellow striker Richard Parker, and on receiving Parker's return slotted the ball past Edwards.

Following further pressure Town were eventually rewarded in the 30^th. Minute when David Barnhouse's long cross to the far post was headed down for Nicholas to score his first goal for the club.

The third in the 38^th. Minute followed good work by Parker who provided Tony Rees with a good opportunity which he gratefully accepted.

The second half saw Town continue to dominate but it must have a great disappointment to the home crowd to see the home side fail to make the most of a good number of good chances which came their way.

Holywell's tale of woe was compounded as both Craig Dulson and Phil Hinchcliffe were both sent off following double bookings after a series of rash and erratic tackles.

CARMARTHEN Town's local product Wayne Jones proved to be his side's match winner at Richmond Park last Wednesday, as his fierce 20 yard drive found the back of the net in the 87^th. Minute to bring a deserved three points to the home side. Manager Tomi Morgan told the Journal, "The side's performance in this game was unrecognisable from the poor display in Bangor the previous week, and where we failed to compete in North Wales the players gave 100% against TNS.

The manager continued, "Wayne, our goalscorer in this match, has got a lot of ability and if nurtured will make a terrific player".

Town sponsored by RSU Windows, included the former Leeds and Cardiff City striker Ryan Nicholls in the line up as they aimed to bounce back after their disappointing performance at Bangor against a side who are currently riding high in 6^th. Place in the League of Wales.

The early pressure was on Carmarthen and the rapidly maturing Robert Fitzgerald was on hand to deal capably with a number of difficult crosses. Town however might have been better employed in playing the ball on the ground rather than placing the ball high into the penalty area against a very big and organised defence who were giving nothing away at the back.

Nevertheless Town had their chances and Nicholls' debut was most pleasing as he settled into his new surroundings and will no doubt prove an asset to Town as time goes on. There is an added bonus that this player is not cup tied and will be available for selection for the Welsh Cup semi-final against Conwy.

With the match heading for a stalemate a very good crowd was brought to its feet with three minutes to go when Jones, cutting in to the penalty area, unleashed a drive past a startled Andy Mulliner in Llansantffraid's goal.

Didn’t we have a terrible time...

Carmarthen Town 0

Carmarthen Town were sent crashing to defeat at Farrer Road, Bangor, last Saturday, following a below par display in which they failed to make any impression against their mid-table rivals at any stage of the match.

A normally reliable defence certainly missed the guiding influence of the absent Matthew Cable, the team’s skipper, and some frailties at the back were continuously exposed in a game in which Bangor, with a little more steadiness in front of goal, may have inflicted an even heavier defeat on their visitors.

Town striker Paul Burrows also missed the match following his failure to pass a late fitness test.

City, last year’s Welsh Cup winners, made the perfect start by scoring within 10 minutes when defenders Steve Williams and Nigel Nicholas, seemingly getting in each other’s way, failed to clear a through ball and City’s skipper Chris Shasta picking up the loose ball easily beat Town’s keeper Robert Fitzgerald.

After Bangor’s Paul Moody and Paul Langley had missed two good opportunities for their side, Town went in at the half time whistle content with only a 1-0 scoreline against the which gave them plenty of opportunity to redress the balance.

The second half, however, saw Town failing to take up the initiative and once again found themselves chasing the game and it was no surprise that City increased their lead in the 75th minute when after good work by Tommy Mutton, striker Robbie Williams gave Fitzgerald no chance from close range.

Some good breaks by Alan Roberts and Tony Rees gave Town some hope of salvaging something from the game, especially when Rees’ well-judged lob was well saved by Bangor City’s player-manager Lee Williams who leapt to turn the ball over his own bar.

Town’s revival, however, was short-lived as Bangor increased their lead when substitute Aaron Thomas, son of former Welsh international Mickey Thomas, deftly headed a good cross beyond Fitzgerald to score a fine goal.

Town’s cup of woe overflowed in the 85th minute when Sharratt, with his second goal, scored from close range, after Town’s defence had been hookwinked when Thomas sold the perfect dummy.

This was Town’s heaviest defeat of the season but redoubtable manager, Tomi Morgan, a man of considerable experience in the League of Wales, will certainly reconsider his game plan as Town’s most important match in the Welsh Cup semi finals looms near.

A greatly improved performance from Bangor against a determinedly
unambitious Carmarthen.

Not fantastic, but good enough on the day, Bangor took an early lead through
Chris Sharrat when he and Mutton were left advancing on the unprotected
Carmarthen keeper. Bangor's chances to go further ahead before the break
were blocked by determined defending and an over-elaboration on the edge of
the box. Paul Roberts, however, should have done better when put in a good
position on the left of the box from a fine pass by Mooney.

Bangor took time to get going in the second half, too many time trying to
walk the ball into the net, but there was more inventiveness from midfield
than I have seen recently - Langley made some good runs down the right and
Robbie Williams performed more like the player who came to City with such a
high reputation. With the visitors showing such little ambition, Bangor had
nothing to fear but their own lack of form, and fortunately, the goals came
in a rush in the last quarter of the game, from Sharrat again, Williams and
the best of the lot, a glancing header from sub Aaron Thomas.

Tommy Mutton, not at his best today and seeming rather dispirited for
whatever reason, had left by this time, as had Paul Roberts. Thomas and a
young sub whose name I couldn't catch must form one of the League's smallest
front lines and Bangor will have to sharpen up their passing and support
from midfield if they are to persevere with nippy, but lightweight forwards.
This will work OK on pitches with good surfaces, but not on the cabbage
patches that seem to pass for LoW pitches, especially at this time of the
season.