As we reach the end of another successful season, it is nice to look back over some of the happy memories which this season has produced.
With the League of Wales title wrapped up three weeks ago, and a forthcoming Gilbert Cup final, in addition to tonight�s first leg in the Premier Cup, no-one can doubt the quality which runs through the present Barry side.
The season started in the worst possible way - another draw against Dynamo Kyiv in the European Champions� League. It would be fair to say that the first leg didn�t go our way but that we went some way to keeping our pride with a 2-1 defeat at Jenner Park, with Eifion Williams scoring the first of his many goals this season. There is no such thing as disgrace in defeat to a side which is on the verge of the European Champions� League final and contains players such as Andrij Shevchenko and Sergij Rebrov.
The annual rumours started that Barry were a shadow of their former selves, but the critics went into hiding after two spectacular back-to-back victories over Cwmbran in the League of Wales and Wrexham in the FAW Premier Cup, both clubs tipped to do well in the respective competitions, and now lying fourth in the LoW and in the Premier Cup semi-final respectively. As to the goals themselves, Mark Dempsey�s thunderous strike at Cwmbran announced his arrival at the club, while Darren Davies etched his name into the memories of thousands when he volleyed home against Wrexham.
The next spectacular performance came in the wind and rain at Connah�s Quay�s new Deeside Stadium. Hard as it is to believe, the Nomads were top of the league in mid-September, with much expected of them. Despite the conditions, Barry�s excellent one-touch exhibitionist football won through, with Richard Jones making his name as a goalscorer with two efforts.
The Gilbert Cup provided Barry with some problems, as Caersws forced a replay at Jenner Park. However, Barry showed their mettle with a 5-0 victory over the mid-Walians. The Town took the lead through Mark Dempsey after just six minutes, shooting home from the penalty spot. That was followed by a goal from Justin Perry, who has scored in every Gilbert Cup match this season, and a magnificent performance from Eifion Williams, who scored a hat-trick.
Barry had been unlucky at the Vetch, when Swansea equalised in the 93rd minute through former Barry striker, Tony Bird, making it one apiece after Gary Lloyd�s third minute free-kick thrilled the traveling support. There was no luck, good or otherwise, involved in the home victory, though, with Barry earning a comfortable 2-0 victory, and loan goalkeeper, Andy Dibble, having barely a shot to save. Barry took the lead through a great Eifion Williams header, and Richard Jones clinched the win with a spot-kick.
However, November�s Goal of the Month, according to the television pundits, was Eifion�s second goal against Haverfordwest in the Welsh Cup a few days later. A quick counter-attack from Barry provided Eifion with the ball on the touch-line, barely five yards inside the Haverfordwest half. Eifion looked up, saw the �keeper, Neil Frederickson, off his line, and promptly chipped him from all of forty yards. A spectacular goal.
The big match of December was the home League of Wales tie against Aberystwyth Town. Aber had significantly strengthened their side after gaining an excellent sponsorship deal the previous Summer, and were the last LoW side to lose their unbeaten record. The Black and Greens actually took the lead at Jenner Park, with Glyndwr Hughes finding the net. However, Barry struck back a few minutes later, and tightened their grip with a second goal before half-time. The final score of 5-1 was testament to an excellent Barry performance, heightened by efficiency in front of goal. Eifion Williams, who had scored an average goal a game wasn�t on target that day, but both Richard Jones and Justin Perry scored twice, Jones�s first goal coming as he turned his marker inside the box, before crashing his shot home.
The early months of 1999 left slightly less to celebrate, as Barry stuttered to victories over mid-table sides, before the disappointment of defeat to a ten-men Connah�s Quay Nomads side in the Welsh Cup.
However, a week later, Barry got back to winning terms with a 2-0 victory over Total Network Solutions, a win in front of no-one less than FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, and UEFA General Secretary, Leonard Johanssen, who, along with other senior FIFA and UEFA dignitaries, were interested to see what the League of Wales was all about. Their impression of the LoW must surely have been assisted by a spectacular header from Lee Barrow for the first goal. Lee dived away from goal but managed to turn the ball back towards its intended target - Andy Mulliner�s goal, giving Barry the lead against the run of play.
Victory and revenge over old rivals, Merthyr Tydfil, came in the quarter-final of the FAW Premier Cup, when, in the 30th minute, Eifion Williams ghosted past his marker and fired a low cross which Richard Jones hit home for his 15th goal of the season.
Barry showed their character a few weeks later, twice coming from behind at Holywell to ensure a 3-2 victory. The hero of the hour was Eifion Williams, who scored a hat-trick, which turned out to be his final goals for Barry, as he was sold to Torquay for �70,000 a few days later, a club record sale for Barry and a club record buy for Torquay. He scored a hat-trick on his debut for the Gulls two days later.
With Eifion still at the club, Barry had nevertheless taken a huge step towards retaining their League of Wales title, with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Cwmbran Town. Richard Jones and Mark Dempsey scored Barry�s goals, against the run of play, with the Gwent side having had the opportunities to bury Barry in the first half.
Nevertheless, seven days later, on March 30, 1999, Barry won the League of Wales title with a storming 6-2 victory at home to Carmarthen Town. It could have gone all wrong, with the visitors taking a sixth minute lead after a deflection knocked the ball past Barry loan keeper, Jon Roberts. However, Barry rose to the occasion, equalising through another loan player, Chris Sloan, a 19-year old from Bristol City, before Richard Jones gave the home side a half-time lead. Barry went further ahead, when Jonathan Jones, a 20-year old loan striker from Chester City, scored a few minutes after the break. Carmarthen pulled a goal back, but the celebrations started soon after, as Sloan scored twice in quick succession - a hat-trick on his debut - before Justin Perry rounded off the scoring.
With the title, and European qualification, under our belts, Barry started the current round of matches against Inter Cabletel - four matches, one in the League of Wales, one in the Gilbert Cup semi-final and, of course, the FAW Premier Cup semi-final matches. The first match was that in the League of Wales a fortnight ago, when goals from Richard Jones and Chris Sloan gave Barry a 2-1 win over the Cardiff side, and that psychological advantage was continued a week later, when Barry booked a place in the Gilbert League of Wales Cup final against Caernarfon. The sending-off of Inter keeper, Gary Wager, for handball, may have been the most important event of the match, as Barry won 3-1. Richard Jones opened the scoring forBarry, turning his marker before hammering home past replacement keeper, Paul Evans. Inter levelled with a magnificent free-kick from Steve Mardenborough a few minutes after the break, but goals from Justin Perry and Terry Evans ensured Barry�s place in the final.
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1999.
This article first published in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine, v Inter Cabletel, FAW Premier Cup semi-final first leg, 20.04.1999
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