SATURDAY, 13th MARCH, 2:30P.M. LEAGUE OF WALES
Difficult? Well, that's one word to describe our mid-Walian opponents. Last week's trip to Latham Park showed how difficult it was to break them down on their own patch, the game ending as a 0-0 draw.
Newtown are no less of a side away from home, as can be testified by anyone who remembers our last home encounter with the Robins.
It may have been 18 months ago, and in the heat of a sunny August Bank Holiday, but that 5-5 draw was no hazy dream. Barry took a 4-0 lead within 20 minutes, relaxed the tempo and then saw Newtown claw their way back into the match. Their hero that day was Kevin Morrison, who scored four of the goals.
Despite an indifferent start to last season, the Robins finished in second place and earnt qualification for the UEFA Cup. Like us, they were presented with one of the most difficult ties, Wisla Krakow of Poland. In the home leg at Latham Park, Newtown held their illustrious visitors to a goalless draw, and it was only a combination of events which saw them fail to get anything from their trip to Poland, where they lasted half-an-hour before caving in under pressure. Wisla went on to thrash the Turks, Trabzanspor, winning home and away, and were unlucky to go out to Parma in the second round. At Christmas, Wisla, some of whose fans were shown in the Newtown programme last week, were 13 points clear at the top of the Polish league.
Newtown's League of Wales progress has not been so stunning, but despite an alleged inconsistency, the mid-Walian side remains in fifth and capable of challenging for a European spot. This comes despite Brian Coyne having to rebuild his side mid-season, with a number of senior players moving to Aberystwyth.
This home match against was originally scheduled for the 24th October, but was cancelled due to the horrendous weather which struck Wales that week, and also forced the cancellation of the following week's game against Caernarfon Town.
Next week's game is on the conference date of the Welsh Cup Fifth Round, with both sides having reached last season's semi-final and then going out to Connah's Quay Nomads in this season's competition. Strangely, both clubs were knocked out in a similar fashion - the Nomads hitting on the break inside the first ten minutes and then shutting up shop.
Newtown are now poised to make a late run for Europe, and are unbeaten in the last seven League of Wales matches. In Nicky Ward, Justin Wickham and Jason Yates, they have three forwards capable of scoring goals on a regular basis, and as they proved last week against both Wrexham and ourselves, they let in very few goals.
Be here next Saturday to see if Newtown are able to win their first ever match at Jenner Park, or whether Barry take a step closer to clinching the championship.
the Yellow Dragon
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1999.
This article first published in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine, v Bangor City, League of Wales, 06.03.99.
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