Nearly forty matches have been played in this season�s F.A.W Premier Cup as we reach the quarter-final stage.....
Cardiff had fewer problems when they visited Bangor�s Farrar Road, as they romped to a 4-1 victory over the North Walians. Kevin Nugent scored twice for Cardiff, with Dai Thomas and Craig Middleton adding the other goals. Neil Wenham scored for the home side. At Penydarren Park, though, Cardiff again found Merthyr impossible to break down, and the game ended in a goalless draw. That result left Cardiff needing to beat Rhyl twice to finish on top of the group.
Cardiff went on to do that, winning in style 4-0 at Belle Vue. Dai Thomas scored three of the goals in that match, with Robbie Earnshaw scoring the other.However, it was more difficult for Cardiff back at Ninian Park. Rhyl took the lead through Phil Patterson after just three minutes, and even though Kevin Nugent and ? scored to take Cardiff ahead, a second half goal from Troy Hayder meant that with five minutes remaining it was 2-2 and Cardiff destined to finish second in the group. However, a cross from Jason Bowen landed on the head of Craig Middleton and that goal meant that Cardiff won the group with Merthyr second.
The Martyrs earnt ten points from their six matches, and remain unbeaten so far in the competition. Having taken two points from their matches with Cardiff, they beat Bangor City at Penydarren Park. Eston Chiverton and Shaun Chapple, both of whom have played for Barry, scored Merthyr�s goals with Bangor�s Danny McGoona getting a late consolation goal in Merthyr�s 2-1 win. At Farrar Road, though, it was more difficult for the Valleys side, and the game ended goalless. Against Rhyl, background difficulties at Penydarren Park meant that they started the away game with only ten men, and the game ended as a 1-1 draw. Troy Hayder scored for Rhyl, while former Ton Pentre striker, Gary Shephard got Merthyr�s goal. Back at Penydarren Park, two goals in the first ten minutes from Cohen Griffith earnt the Martyrs three points with a 2-1 win. Former TNS player, Damien Currier, scored Rhyl�s consolation goal.
The matches between Bangor City and Rhyl saw both sides take three points, but Bangor finish in third as a result of their win over Cardiff City. The first match was played at Farrar Road, where the home side won 3-1. An own goal from Rhyl�s Lee Murphy put Bangor on their way, and further goals from Steve Jones and Paul Mooney put them beyond the reach of the Lilywhites, whose goal came from Tommy Mutton, who is now a regular at Bangor. In the return game, former Barry and Rhyl player, Dave Norman, put Bangor ahead, but Rhyl struck back through two Lee Murphy goals to win 2-1. Murphy was clearly making up for his own goal in the first game.
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Our home match against Wrexham was the opening match of the competition this season, and both sides rose to the occasion. Barry took the lead just before half-time, with Dave Ridler being forced to head into his own goal. After the break, Wrexham equalised through Neil Roberts, but goals from Richard Jones and Darren Davies meant that Karl Connolly�s goal was a consolation for Wrexham as Barry won 3-2.
Visiting Swansea, Barry took the lead after three minutes through a Gary Lloyd free-kick, but the Jacks equalised in injury time, through former Barry and Cardiff striker, Tony Bird. Back at Jenner Park, though, Barry dominated the match, and Eifion Williams gave Barry the lead midway through the first half. A Richard Jones penalty finished the job, with Barry winning 2-0. However, it was more difficult at Wrexham�s Racecourse, and Barry were caught cold by Kevin Russell�s 46th minute winner for the Robins.
Other results went in Barry�s favour, though, and the Dragons were left needing to beat Caernarfon twice to progress in the tournament as winners of group B. In the away game at Caernarfon�s Oval, it was only a 37th minute goal from Lee Barrow that gave Barry all three points, and the Town were also forced to work hard at Jenner Park. Caernarfon took the lead through an Ian Horrigan free-kick, but two goals from Eifion Williams and an own goal from Caernarfon gave Barry a 3-1 win and clinched our place at the top of the so-called Group of Death.
Swansea City finished in second spot, thanks to a victory at the Racecourse and a swift comeback at the Vetch. Both games against Wrexham were difficult for the West Walian side, but, in North Wales, they won 2-0 with goals from Steve Watkin and Martin Thomas while back at home in Swansea, their visitors took a 2-0 lead with goals from Karl Connolly and a Martin Thomas own goal only for two Swansea goals inside a minute to change the game entirely. Those goals came from Richard Appleby and Stuart Thomas.
Swansea allso chalked up two victories over Caernarfon Town. At Caernarfon�s Oval, a fifth minute goal from Tony Bird won the game 1-0, while back at the Vetch, Swansea won 3-0. Steve Watkin scored the opener, with Nick Cusack adding a second and the final goal again coming from Watkin.
It was Wrexham who came third in the group, with Caernarfon finishing bottom, and without a point to their name. Having taken three points against Barry, and another point against Swansea, the Robins needed all six points against their fellow North Walians to ensure their continued survival in the competition. Wrexham won 1-0 in both games, with Kevin Russell scoring the important goal at the Oval and Stephen Thomas scoring for Wrexham back at the Racecourse.
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However, Inter won their other four matches, although not always without difficulty. Their matches against Cwmbran Town saw Inter win by two goals on both occasions. The first game took place in Cardiff, where Steve Mardenborough gave Inter the lead, while Simon Dyer scored against his former club in Inter�s 2-0 win. Then, at the Cwmbran Stadium, Cwmbran scored through Adam Moore only for Inter to hit the back of the net on three occasions. Paul Evans scored twice for the capital side with Sean Wharton adding the third goal.
Inter�s first match against Connah�s Quay Nomads was in Cardiff, where they sneaked away with all three points. Connah�s Quay had taken the lead through Jamie Hughes, but Inter struck back through John Wile. The Nomads took the lead again, with a 40-yard strike from Jon Kenworthy, but Inter scored through Samir Misbah and then through Paul Evans in injury time to win 3-2. Back at the Nomads� Deeside Stadium it was a different matter, and Inter cruised to a 3-0 victory on a sodden pitch. Paul Evans scored Inter�s first goal before Jon Kenworthy put the ball in his own net for Inter�s second. The final goal came from Sean Wharton.
Newtown came in second on goal difference, having needed a 10-goal victory in their final game in order to clinch the winners spot. As it was, that was irrelevant as they were drawn at home as best of the three runners-up clubs in the groups. Having defeated Inter twice, the Robins blew their chances with two defeats to Cwmbran Town. In the opening match of the group, Newtown entertained the Crows and lost 1-0 with Mattie Davies scoring Cwmbran�s goal. They were more embarrassed, though, at the 6-0 hammering they took on their visit to the Cwmbran Stadium. Mattie Davies struck on two occasions for the Gwent side, and was ably assisted by Wayne Hewitt, Neil O�Brien, Chris Watkins and Chris Summers.
However, Newtown regained their respectability with victories over Connah�s Quay Nomads. They won both matches by a 2-1 scoreline. At home, goals from Scott Ruscoe and Damon Russell canceled out the goal from Nomads� Barry Thomas, while in the away match, which was played at Rhyl�s Belle Vue, goals from Mark Roberts and Jason Yates secured Newtown�s victory and Jamie Hughes�s goal was just a consolation for Connah�s Quay.
Cwmbran�s two wins over Newtown earnt them third place in the group and a place in the quarter-final as one of the best two third-placed sides. Those six points gave them the advantage, and despite losing twice to Inter, they picked up two points against Connah�s Quay and those eight were enough to secure a place in the last eight.
Away at the Nomads� Deeside Stadium, the game ended in a 2-2 draw. Mattie Davies put the Crows ahead with two first half goals, but the Nomads fought back, with Jamie Hughes and Paul Jones getting them back to 2-2. It was a similar story at the Cwmbran Stadium, where a Chris Summers penalty gave Cwmbran the lead only for Connah�s Quay�s Carl Smyth to pull his side back into the game. It ended as a 1-1 draw, and those two points were the only ones achieved by the North Walian side.
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 Merthyr Tydfil, FAW Premier Cup quarter-final, 16.03.1999
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