This semi-final game, expected to be a close encounter, proved to be just a stroll in the park for Barry, as they totally dominated this first leg tie.
This page maintained by the Yellow Dragon, 1998.
An Eifion Williams hat-trick and a goal by Chris Pike gave Barry the kick start to claim another cup final. Surely the second leg at Jenner Park on Tuesday must be purely academic.
Without Aizlewood to marshall the Crow's defence, they looked vulnerable defensively, and Williams and Pike proved to more than the Gwent side could handle.
Terry Evans, Danny Carter and Richard Jones were outstanding form for Barry and everyone played well in a more disciplined performance than of late.
Even without Fary Lloyd, Darren Ryan, Andrew York and Mark Ovendale in the starting line-up, Barry proved to be too strong in all departments and Crow's strikers Davies and Dyer were well shackled by the Barry defence.
Cwmbran took an early lead when Jones played a simple back-pass to Pat Mountain who went to kick it but missed the ball completely and after just five minutes, Barry were 1-0 down.
Within a minute, the equaliser came when Pike picked up a through ball and slotted it home. Williams, turning his marke, fired an angled shot in but O'Hagan saved well conceding the corner.
The corner kick was taken by Carter, found Barnett who set up Williams to fire Barry into the lead after 12 minutes
Cwmbran's attacks were few and far between and Townsend tried a long shot which was comfortably saved by Mountain. It was all Barry, and Pike was proving to be a real headache for the Cwmbran defence. Willliams also with his speed on the turn upset the defenders and O'Hagan narrowed the angle to deny him a goal.
Barry were beginning to play football and it was no surprise when Williams, lobbed O'Hagan and ran around the goalkeeper to make sure the ball went into the net. It was 3-1 to Barry after 25 minutes and that was the half-time score, despite Cwmbran's Carter hitting a 25-yarder which Mountain saved easily.
With Cwmbran looking more determined in the second-half, they could not stop Craig Evans firing a 30-yard shot just over the bar and Pike hitting the bar with a header just after.
No more goals as both the goalkeepers made a series of good saves. Ryan with a couple of clear breaks, coming on for Williams, found O'Hagan denying him both times and Mountain though beaten by a Davies header, clearing off the line for Barry.
Ryan curled a delightful free-kick into the top corner, but the ball via O'Hagan hit the post and went out for a corner. The game ended with Barry clear cut winners and leaving the second leg as just a formality.
After recent draws with Rhayader and Inter, this win will have lifted Barry's spirits and shown that even good sides have hiccups.
This incidentally was Barry's 40th game of the season in all competitions.
Match report: Cwmbran Town v Barry Town, Gilbert League Cup semi-final, 1st leg. 11.02.98
This report first printed in the Barry and District News, p.28, 19.02.98.
Links to other sites on the Web
Get your own Free Home Page
