BANGOR CITY 1, BARRY TOWN 1
(After extra time, Barry win 5-4 on penalties)
FORTUNE failed to favour the brave at Farrar Road on Monday as City were sunk in a spot kick shoot-out by League of Wales champions Barry for the second season running.
In a carbon copy of the final twelve months earlier, Bangor missed the chances and paid the penalty as the Dragons completed a league and cup double.
Coming into the match on the back of four heavy defeats by the Jenner Park club this season, with just two goals scored and fourteen conceeded, home fears were almost realised as Town had the hosts chasing shadows in the first quarter.
Dave Williams saved from Gary Barnett, Mark Edwards got in the way of a goalbound effort from Craig Evans, and Gary Lloyd was just a coat of paint away from the opener from a 20 yard free-kick before City roused themselves from their lethargy.
Marc Lloyd-Williams had an eight yard effort deflected for a corner on 27 minutes in City's first threat of the game, but the visitors took the lead six minutes later when Richard Jones fired home in a goalmouth scramble following Barry's fifth corner of the match.
That was it, or so everyone thought by what had gone before, but Lloyd-Williams picked up a lay off from Ken McKenna to rifle home the equaliser on 36 minutes and the hosts visibly grew in stature.
The City striker was cruelly booked for allegedly diving under a threat from visitors' keeper Pat Mountain four minutes later, incensing the home crowd who were baying for a penalty, and Lee Noble had a shot blocked on half-time as City had the thoroughbreds on the back foot.
Lloyd-Williams was close with a long distance effort early in the second half, and Mountain did well to get in the way of a close-range effort from McKenna ten minutes later.
Terry Evans fired over from ten yards in a quick Barry break and Chris Waring denied Eifion Williams a sight of goal with a timely tackle twelve yards out, while Mark Edwards repeated the effort just before the end of normal time.
Steve Ashton headed over from eight yards, and Mountain went full length to deny Lloyd-Williams in the first period of extra-time , while hero Chris Whelan's tackle on Barnett saved a certain goal.
McKenna chipped Mountain from 35 yards only to see his effort go wide, and in the second period of extra-time, City belied their four games in nine days to finish stronger against the full-timers who had not played in this time.
Carter fired at Williams in a rare Barry threat, but City were denied by the bar when McKenna headed on Dulson's cross and Lloyd-Williams was unable to react quick enough to find the target from close range.
With just a minute left, Ashton rose to head goalwards but his effort went over the Barry bar to take the tie to penalties.
Brookman, Edwards and Ashton were successful with the first home three efforts which were wiped out by Richard Jones, Lloyd and Carter, but Dulson fired at Mountain for the fourth.
Phil Johnson scored for Barry, and although Lloyd-Williams fired home, Garteh Knott earned the trophy with Barry's fifth successful effort.
It was cruel on City, who suffered the same fate at Aberystwyth a year earlier, but they regained a lot of pride with a battling performance against the odds, and will go into Sunday's Welsh Cup final heartened by the display.
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This report first printed in the Bangor and Caernarfon Chronicle, Thurs.07.05.98
This report of Bangor City - Barry Town, Gilbert League Cup final, 04.05.98
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