The Wellmen were at full stretch for 85 minutes, the first five minutes possibly belonged to them as Barry took time to settle.
But settle they did and it was only the heroics of goalkeeper, Lee Edwards, that stopped the score neing double. At 19, and recently released by Wrexham, Edwards did enough in this game to win a lot of admirers.
Another hero for Holywell was centre-back Lee Jones, who stuck like glue to Eifion Williams, containing the Barry hot shot for much of the match.
Williams scored a goal, however, and two from Gary Lloyd and one from Mark Dempsey, sealed this fine win.
Dempsey had a fabulous game and linked brilliantly with Danny Carter and Terry Evans to make the Holywell defence glad that they don't meet them every week.
Missing from the Barry line-up was Andrew York with a back injury, but he had an able deputy in Gareth Shone, who slotted in well alongside Lee Barrow.
Holywell started in a lively manner, picking up on a few loose balls from the Barry defence to show that they were there to be counted.
This was short-lived however, as Barry began to play some superb football with Terry Evans and Carter linking well.
Carter looked as sharp as a razor and his dazzling football was too clever for Holywell, who could only watch as the skilfull midfielder showed off his class, holding up the ball for lay-offs and going past players with ease.
A superb run by Dempsey, crossing to Carter, whose curling shot skimmed past the post. It was Dempsey and Carter again who almost gave Williams a goal but the former's cross was just too high.
Barry forced corner after corner, but their superb football was failing on the final ball against a packed defence.
After Dempsey sent in a 25-yard pile driver which Edwards tipped over brilliantly, the goalkeeper was unable to stop a Lloyd curler in the 37th minute.
Again Dempsey and Carter ripped the defence apart with lightning thought and movement and it was the former who got Barry's second goal, sending in a curling shot which gave the keeper no chance.
It could have been 3-0 when Gary Barnett sent in a screamer, but again the goalkeeper saved well.
As Barry took complete control of the game, the high class football warmed the crowd on what was a bitterly cold afternoon.
On the hour, Lloyd got his second when he picked up a loose ball and fired home an unstoppable shot to put Barry 3-0 ahead.
Richard Jones was impressive with his work rate and running off the ball and Paul Mitchell and Barnett also played well in midfield.
It was substitute Justin Perry who went past a defender on the left and his cleverly weighted cross was met on the far post by Eifion Williams, who scored his 17th goal of the season.
Williams could have got a hat-trick with some good attempts on goal, one shot cannoned off the keeper and over the bar.
A comprehensive win then for the champions, but Cwmbran and Aberystwyth are snapping at Barry's heels and these three teams seem to be pulling away from the rest.
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1998.
This report first published in the Barry & District News, 12.11.1998.
Match report of League of Wales match, Barry Town v Holywell Town, 07.11.1998.
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