The Crows remain a strong outfit, and one with a familiar tinge. In fact, no fewer than seven of their players last week had previously pulled on a Barry shirt for competitive football, and it is ironic that so many of our 'old boys' should be at the club with the aim of unseating us from our position at the top of the League of Wales.
Cwmbran were in second place this time last year. Indeed, we played them almost twelve months ago to the day, having entertained the Crows here at Jenner Park on 24th January. It was a hard match, but Barry won 2-1, with Danny Carter scoring the crucial, match-winning goal.
They've had a slighlty topsy-turvy season, and, remarkably, find themselves still unbeaten away from home in the League of Wales, with all three losses coming at their own Cwmbran Stadium. One of those defeats was to us on the opening day of the season, but they also lost to Aberystwyth Town, and, more surprisingly, to Rhayader Town. That must have been an incredible match to view, with Rhayader initially taking a two goal lead. Cwmbran hit back before the break, making it 3-2 before half-time, but Rhayader ran away with the game in the second half, scoring on four occasions to make it 6-3!
The Crows have been to Europe on two occasions, and are the only Welsh club besides ourselves to have participated in the European Cup. That came in August, 1993, after they won the first League of Wales title. They entertained Cork City at the Cwmbran Stadium on a warm Wednesday afternoon, and raced into a 3-0 lead in front of a crowd of more than 3000 people. Hero of the day was Francis Ford, who scored twice, before joining Barry in October '94. Unfortunately, Cwmbran went out on the away goals rule, with Cork scoring twice late in the game in Ireland. However, that wasn't before another ex-Barry player, Phil McNeill, had put Cwmbran ahead on the day. Their second trip to Europe came in August 1997, when they played National Bucharest of Romania in the Cup Winners' Cup, qualifying for the competition despite losing to Barry in the Welsh Cup final the previous season. That wasn't quite so good for the Gwent club, who took a heavy beating from the East Europeans.
Featuring ex-Barry boss, Tony Willcox, in charge at the club, alongside former Wales international, Mark Aizlewood, Cwmbran will be certain to make it difficult for Barry. Still snapping at the Dragons heels, Cwmbran will be looking forward to the match with relish.
Be here next week to see if the Crows can tame the Dragons.
the Yellow Dragon.
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Barry Town results 1998-99
This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1999.
This article first published in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine, v Connah's Quay Nomads, 16.01.99, League of Wales
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