24th March, 1998 League of Wales BARRY TOWN (1) 2 RHAYADER TOWN (0) 0 Att: 254 C.Evans 35', D.Carter 54'The fourth meeting of last season between our two clubs came at an important time for both sides. Barry were within touching distance of a third consecutive League of Wales championship, needing four points to get their hands on the silverware. At the opposite end of the League of Wales table, our mid-Walian visitors remained embroiled in the relegation battle, looking to avoid being one of the four sides relegated from the LoW.
Earlier meetings in the season appeared to give Barry the advantage. Since Rhayader's promotion from the Cymru Alliance, they had met Barry three times, and were yet to slay the Dragons. However, they had come very close in the previous League of Wales match at the Weirglodd. In that game, Barry had come from behind to take a 2-1 lead, thanks to a Dylan McPhee own goal. However. with only minutes left on the clock, the Rhayader defender made amends for his mistake, scoring the equalising goal.
Back at Jenner Park, though, it was an unusual looking Barry side that took the pitch for this midweek game. Barry were without Eifion Williams, who was resting, and also Gary Lloyd, who was representing Wales 'B' in Scotland. Gareth Knott replaced Lloyd in the left wing-back berth.
Rhayader started the game well, with Hugh Clarke heading over the bar in the early moments of the match.
However, Barry soon began to settle, and create scoring opportunities, for example, Knott and Barry assistant coach Richard Jones combining well, but Darren Ryan was unable to lose his marker.
Barry took the lead after 35 minutes through Craig Evans. Having already missed several clear cut opportunities, he finally netted following a cross from Richard Jones.
Prior to that, he had miscued a cross from Darren Ryan, and his diving header had failed to latch onto a Gareth Knott cross into the centre.
In addition to those spurned chances, Barry had a goal disallowed four minutes later, when Phil Johnson's cross was apparently headed home by Ryan. Unfortunately, the celebrations were cut short by a linesman's flag in the air on the far side.
However, it was 2-0 ten minutes after the break. Danny Carter took an inswinging corner, which the visitors' keeper could only parry into the net.
From there, Barry took control of the match, with new signing Paul Mitchell hitting the bar and Carter going past the defence only to see his shot hit the post.
The goalscoring ended at 2-0, but it was the distribution of points that was of concern to both teams. Barry took all three, and found themselves requiring only a point from their home match against Bangor City on the following Saturday to clinch the Championship. Rhayader, meanwhile, remained just outside the relegation zone, and had to fight for another month to ensure their League of Wales position.
the Yellow Dragon
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1998.
All material on this page was first published in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine v Rhayader Town, League of Wales, 03.10.1998
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