Barry's Almost Into Europe....That's Barry Town United By The Way

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It had been last year that I went to a football game. There were various reasons. Working regularly on a Saturday doesn't help. But spending roughly two and half months in Essex helping my unwell mother recover was probably the main cause.

But this Sunday was different. Barry Town United were playing Newtown. Wasn't working. Am back in Wales and I was looking forward to watching Welsh League football.

Barry Town are, I think I've mentioned this before, amongst those group of teams that I genuinely wish well unless they're playing the team I support (and in the case of Wales that's Ton Pentre FC though I can't say that I've had the chance to follow them this season). This game was important. For they just needed one point to guarantee entry into the playoff spot for the ultimate prize being entry into the Europa league, or rather the matches before you go into the Europa league, but you probably knew that anyway.

Their opponents Newtown however had every reason to stop them. For they were only one position behind them in the league. So they needed to defeat Barry in order to still be in the running for this play off space themselves. The Welsh language channel S4C knew all of this, which is why it was it's live game of the week.

I bought the matchday programme and was shocked to discover that Secretary of State for Wales and blog villain Alun Cairns was actually honorary president of the club! So let me give Barry Town United AFC are friendly warning. Be careful. Or you will soon find yourself being called Prince Of Wales United.

Le Parc De Jenner

To the noises of cowbell, horn and a drum it all started. When I was watching games when they were the away side it was irritating. In Le Parc De Jenner it's just part of the atmosphere. Probably it's because the perspective is different. After all the artificial grass is always greener on the other side.

A couple of men were chatting about potential European opponents should Barry go through and win the play offs. Paris? Milan? Madrid?

No. Liverpool apparently. I blame Brexit.

After about fifteen minutes Newtown scored. A ball exposed a gap in the Barry Town defence and left the keeper exposed on a one on one basis. It really was no contest.

"That's OK" said the voice behind me "Last time we played them they scored first and it finished five one to us".

So that's all right then.

Then it started to rain. And heavily at that. The assistant referee was soaked. No sympathy for him. I hate all match officials younger than me. And as I'm fifty four that means all of them.

Ha Ha Ha

The referee was not popular with the Barry Town supporters judging by what I heard. However I felt they were being unfair given that he was suffering with a disability during the first half to be unable to use his arms to collect a [insert colour here] card to give to Newtown players after countless fouls. Also, from a distance the ref looked like he was wearing a skull cap.

What do you think?

More Action From Le Parc De Jenner

Towards the end of the first half there were three miracles that I need to chronicle. Firstly the sun shone (yes I know). There was a moment when it was so bright I actually had to cover my eyes (and again, I know).

The second miracle was that the Ref overcame his disability and was able to give a Newtown player a yellow card for a foul. Praise be.

And the third miracle was that Barry Town scored. But it wasn't that they scored a goal. It was truly a magnificent goal. Worthy The Barry player Jon Hood received the ball in the Newtown half, moved through to the box and then made a low curler that was too finely targeted for his opponent's goalkeeper to reach.

If this was La Liga you would have thought it was Messi who scored. Hood did a dance to celebrate. I don't blame him. If I'd scored a goal like that I'd have boogied on down Barry Town High Street.

At halftime I went to get something to eat and drink. I chose Belgian.

They like Mayonniase on their chips

In truth the second half was not as good as the first. I can only recall one decent chance per team. So that was how it ended.1-1. A fair result with regard to the game. But for Barry Town it was enough. It meant a shot at the playoffs, which. for a newly promoted side is very impressive.

Barry's nearly into Europe

Until the next time.