Watching Barry Town United Without Pictures

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Unusually for a Sunday I had a plan for the day....football. Barry Town United were playing Connah's Quay Nomads in the afternoon. The ladies in my life were planning something for themselves. But I, in my capacity as husband/Dad was off on his own.

(But before you have a go they were getting shoes. So I take it I'm let off?)

Anyway as I was approaching Jenner Park I'd realised that I'd left my mobile phone in the apartment (charging as it happens) so there are no pictures of the match I'm afraid. Nor indeed could I provide photographic evidence that I was the first person to take a book about the North pole to a Welsh football match ( To the end of the Earth - Tom Avery) but there we go.

It was a sunny day. Indeed so bright that those of us on the East stand spent a good portion of the first half with a hand covering ourselves from the Barry Town brightness. We all were looking forward to the black cloud to move quickly enough to cover it.f I did consider going to the West Stand, until I realised I'd be on the same area as those supporters playing the Barry Town bell, the Barry Town drum and of course the Barry Town horn (of course not to be confused with the pinnacle of Welsh football musical entertainment the Barry Horne's).

Not knowing how the league's result yesterday changed things basically Barry was hovering above the relegation zone whilst their opponents were about third. So it was going to be a difficult game for the home team.

So the match began with half the people on the stand we were on and hiding ourselves from the Barry Town brightness. Everything just seemed equal in terms of ability until about the twelfth minute when,from  a corner the Connahs number five rushed into the box Ashley Williams style and headed the ball into the net.

One nil then to the away team. It has to be said that though they were the Nomads it was Barry Town who let their concentration wander for the goal.

And for the most part that was basically that except for two things. Firstly the referee seemed to lenient to the Connahs. They tackled with such abandon I wondered whether Jackie Chan was on the coaching staff.

Also the Connah's goalkeeper, a man in orange, tended to be allowed so much time in taking a goal kick he could have arranged a date with his girlfriend and the restaurant reservation. He was never booked for this (though astonishingly a Connahs player was booked later for taking a long time to walk off the pitch when he was substituted. It appeared for the goalie Orange was the new slack.

No time in the half were Barry able to unlock the Connah's Quay Connah's goal. However the half ended with just one goal between the teams. Barry had hope.

The crowd tried to buoy the team up. One Afro Caribbean gentleman shouted "Come on Barry Town". No that's incorrect it was:

" Cooomme ooonnn Barrryyy Tooowwn"

There was a roar of approval from the stand opposite. The gentleman stood up, took the baseball cap he brought with the foresight of the Barry Town brightness I didn't have, and gave his audience a theatrical bow.

Early in the second half Barry had their best chance the (I think) number three ran from one end of the field to the other slipping through all opponents and took a shot which hit the post. It deserved a goal. The resulting kick from the rebound by another Barry player which was so high it would have only been applauded by rugby fans

But it was not until the last few minutes that chances occurred either end. It was though all in vain for Barry Town with the final score remaining at one nil for the Connahs.

The season is going to he tough for the yellow and blues of Barry. I'm sure they'll pull through.

Until the next time.