The Yellow Dragon remembers one of our past League Cup encounters with Cwmbran Town.
UNBEATEN RUN KEPT ALIVE BY EVANS' SOLO GOAL
IN a hastily rearranged League of Wales cup match, Barry had to wait until the 74th minute before Terry Evans levelled the scores at 1-1 against Cwmbran Town.
The goal, Barry's first on-target strike of the match, was a moment to treasure. Playing at right-back, Evans received the ball and sauntered forward. When he cut inside, the Cwmbran defence fell back, expecting a pass. Instead, Evans hung on to the ball and ran across the face of goal.
The visiting defence relaxed, as it seemed that Evans was moving away from shooting range, when he suddenly turned and let fly with a left foot strike, dragging the ball across goal to the right hand side, and leaving Cwmbran goalkeeper Neil Thomas grasping thin air, as Evans celebrated his first goal in Barry colours.
The relief was evident around the ground, as frustration had long since set in as they watched an unconvincing Barry performance, although this was also to do with the positive qualities of Cwmbran.
An innocuous free kick, which seemed to have been overhit, was met by Cwmbran right back, Craig Hewings, who had time and space to turn the ball inside. There, it was met by Simon Dyer, whose mis hit shot dribbled across the goalmouth. The bobbling ball bounced up against centre-half Willie Batchelor and gently rolled into the goal, giving Cwmbran the lead, and a vital away goal.
Despite Barry coming back into the game, Cwmbran had by far the better chances and could have scored on several occasions. Former Barry Town player, Andrew Mainwaring was the culprit.
A 10th minute one-on-one with Barry keeper Mark Ovendale, led to a glorious save from the home 'keeper while, 25 minutes later, Mainwaring beat the offside trap, but failed to get his shot on target.
It was little better for Mainwaring after the break. In the 65th minute, Ovendale was left stranded, only for the Cwmbran striker to balloon his shot high over the Barry end goal.
Barry Town chances were few and far between. Their only opening in the first half was a Tony Bird cross, which Paul Hunter was unable to control and convert. The opening half-hour of the second period was similar, Bird's 51st minute shot going over.
Terry Evans' goal rejuvenated the Barry team, and, from then on, it was one-way traffic. David O'Gorman narrowly missed a minute later, while in the 80th minute Mickey Copeman's mishit clearance needed to be saved by Neil Thomas.
A corner, two minutes later, looked to have produced a winning goal for Barry from the head of Batchelor, but the referee disallowed it for an earlier foul on the goalkeeper.
Going into next week's second leg, equal on goals is a fair reflection of the match, but Barry will have to work hard to progress to the semi-finals.
This report first published in the Barry Gem, 15th February, 1996.
Barry won the second leg 3-0 at Cwmbran Athletic Stadium, and qualified 4-1 on
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This page maintained by the Yellow Dragon, 1998.
This material first published in the Barry Gem, 15.02.96
This material reprinted in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine, v Cwmbran Town,
Gilbert League of Wales Cup semi-final second leg, 24th February, 1998
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