With Cwmbran being formed in 1955, our first senior competitive meetings were in the Abacus Welsh League National Division back in the 1980's, before our current string of matches in the League of Wales and various attached competitions.
Our first match was at the Cwmbran Stadium in October, 1983, on what was clearly not a good day for Barry. Cwmbran won the match 4-1, Bobby Smith scoring Barry's consolation goal. However, Barry spent several years seeking revenge for that defeat, and revenge came in goalloads! A 6-0 victory was recorded in our next meeting, with Ashley Griffiths and Steve Williams both scoring twice and Mike Cosslett and Gerry Stacey also finding the net for Barry.
A further six were hit on our next visit to Cwmbran, with Steve Williams, Bobby Smith and Phil McNeil (who was later to star for Cwmbran in Europe) hitting two apiece in the 6-2 win. A 4-0 win, with yet more goals from Steve Williams (two) and Phil Green (two), brought an end to the high scoring matches, although in 1986, Barry won 4-1 at Cwmbran, with Martin Goldsmith scoring twice, with Derek Redwood and Phil Fisher hitting the others.
Other matches in the Abacus league were as tight and exciting as fans have grown to expect from Cwmbran-Barry matches, although Barry won the league on five occasions, and Cwmbran's best position was third.
With Barry's return to Welsh football in 1993, the Welsh Cup tie with Cwmbran was seen by many as the acid test, for both Barry and the League of Wales. Barry were playing in the Abacus League, by then Wales's second division. Cwmbran were the League of Wales champions. However, despite an early goal from the Crows, it was Barry who bossed the match, winning 3-1 on their way to a Welsh Cup victory at the Arms Park in 1994.
The first League of Wales match between our sides was an exciting ding-dong battle at Cwmbran Stadium. The match swung from end to end as the Barry players sought to impress new manager, Eddie May. Goals from Francis Ford and Paul Evans saw Barry go two-nil ahead, but Cwmbran were able to pull the goals back. The game looked to be heading for a draw when Barry substitute Lee Price hammered home in injury time to give Barry a 3-2 win.
That was the scoreline when the two clubs met again that season, and it was again the visitors who took the points. Barry, though, couldn't quite find the net under their own steam, and it was own goals from Craig Hewings and Roger Gibbins that kept the Barry side in the game.
Having played in Eddie May's first game at Barry, Cwmbran were also the opposition in his final one. More importantly, though, it was the first in Barry's forty-plus unbeaten run of the 1995/96 season. Goals from captain Ian French and new signing Chris Pike gained Barry a point to steady the ship after losses to both Bangor City and Flint.
That season saw Barry and Cwmbran meet regularly, including in the two legged League Cup quarter-final. It took Cwmbran only two minutes to find the net at Jenner Park in the first leg, a cross from the right being deflected into the goal by Willie Batchelor. However, Barry held their heads high, after Terry Evans's thirty-yard shot went high into the net, as the Crows defence backed off, expecting him to pass.
Barry cruised into the semi-finals of the competition, with Tony Bird, Paul Hunter and an own goal in a comfortable 3-0 win in the second leg.
The clubs also met in the Welsh Cup semi-final, again a two-legged affair. Equally close at Jenner Park, it took the boot of Paul Hunter to slide the ball across the line to give Barry the lead to take to Gwent. That lead was increased by central defender Mike Meyer, who scored two first half-headers to give Barry a supposedly unassailable 3-0 aggregate lead. Naturally, no-one told Cwmbran, who came out in the second half all guns blazing, scoring three times, only to be knocked out on the away goals rule.
The final LoW match of the season was a drab affair, and a goalless draw to boot. The match was played on a Thursday at the beginning of May, with the league championship already decided.
The next match between the two sides was also at Cwmbran, when, under the watchful eye of Aberdeen's Roy Aitken, Barry played a blinder in the first half. A classy hat-trick from Tony Bird settled the game, and Barry were never under real pressure. The game's fourth Barry goal came from Dave O'Gorman, who broke away to score in injury time.
Back at Jenner Park, Barry romped to a 3-0 midweek win over the Crows last year, with O'Gorman netting as early as the sixth minute. Chris Pike scored just before half-time, while Darren Ryan completed affairs midway through the second half.
Our most recent encounter, though, was the Welsh Cup final at Ninian Park, last May. In an exciting final, Cohen Griffith netted for Barry in the sixth minute. However, Cwmbran refused to let the game go, and equalised just after half-time, through Chris Watkins. Barry, though, weren't to be denied, and Cohen Griffith scored his second of the match to ensure that while Cwmbran would be representing Wales in the Cup Winners' Cup, it was Barry who would be parading the silverware.
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This page maintained by the Yellow Dragon, 1998.
This material first published in the Barry town matchday magazine, v Cwmbran Town,
League of Wales, 24.01.98
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