Responsibility just too much (From Barry And District News)

Responsibility just too much

Barry Town 0 - LLWYDCOED 1

BARRY TOWN 0 - UWIC 3

NOT the best week of football for Barry Town supporters.

As no doubt you are aware by now, Barry Town no longer play in Barry.

Wherever you pin the blame, the ongoing rent row looks destined to ruin a once very proud club.

There is a suggestion doing the rounds that the club may ground-share elsewhere for next season, as well as for the remaining fixtures of this season.

So for those who have difficulty travelling, you may well have already watched your last Barry Town game.

Within a year, we have gone from having a front page news story in this newspaper about the dream of moving away from Jenner Park to a new purpose-built Waterfront Stadium, to ground-sharing with Treforest FC - a team in the Second Division of the Regal Travel South Wales Amateur League.

And very pleased we are too, for without Treforest coming to our assistance, Barry's short stay in the Welsh League may have already been over.

What a fall from grace.

*oyal fans will remember the exile in Worcester in the early 1990s, but even then, a Barry Town side remained at Jenner Park.

But now there's nothing.

It is a shocking state of affairs. A town the size of Barry should be proud of its most senior football side.

It's difficult to see where the impasse will end, but it could see the death of a 93-year-old sporting institution.

However, the football, for now, does continue.

With Barry seemingly going through squads quicker than water through a sieve, the responsibility of resurrecting the club's dignity has fallen on the very young shoulders of the Academy players.

It was a tall order to take anything away from the clash with AFC Llwydcoed last week at Treforest, and although the boys lost, it was a spirited performance that saw the free-scoring championship hopefuls only winning by a single goal - and that from a ninth minute spot kick.

The players are still very much learning their trade, and are having to do it at a very high level indeed, considering their age.

Fans have been worried that a few thrashings may knock the spirit out of the players and Barry Town will go into free-fall down the League.

Barry have slipped, admittedly, but it has not been a free-fall.

The responsibility should not really have fallen on these young lads' shoulders, but this is the situation we all find ourselves in.

*ast Saturday, Barry Town's League Cup 3rd round home tie to UWIC was played at Cyncoed Campus at UWIC - and what an awful, soulless place it was.

It affected the fans and it affected the players.

Several fantastic saves from Damien Lack in goal, and a shot that rebounded off the bar meant that Barry ended the half at 0-0, but in reality Barry rarely strayed into enemy territory.

Within 10 minutes of the re-start, Barry found themselves 2-0 down, and it was already game over.

The second goal, a free-kick on the edge of the box, was brilliantly executed and a ripple of applause came from the tiny band of Barry fans

Towards the end of the game UWIC scored a third, to complete Barry's worst defeat of the season.

This Saturday, Barry face an extraordinarily tough Welsh Cup tie against Welsh Premier League side Afan Lido. To compound the threat, Barry have several players cup-tied - including their new inspirational 17-year-old goalkeeper.

It's sure to be the toughest match of the year.

The club has not announced any travel plans for this crucial Welsh Cup tie, so fans will have to organise themselves.

Kick-off at the White Tips Stadium, Treforest, is at 2.30pm.