Four goal loss on a fine day for cricket! (From Barry And District News)

Four goal loss on a fine day for cricket!

MAESTEG Park certainly lived up to their pre-match billing as the League's form team in this easy 4-0 romping of Barry Town.

Reeling from a first half that saw the Dragons concede two goals in two minutes shortly after hitting the Maesteg crossbar at the other end, Barry Town also suffered an injury to goalkeeper Damien Lack, and conceded a third killer goal shortly after the youngster had retired injured.

The second half began in much the same vein, as Maesteg converted an early penalty to send the sizeable clutch of Maesteg fans into raptures, and Barry Town really staring down the barrel.

As it was, the second half saw Barry play with as much gusto and fluidity as had been the case in the first half's opening quarter of an hour, and although there was pressure a plenty, the goalscorers were simply not there to make the possession count for something.

The final act was Hemmens being sent off for a rash challenge on a Maesteg defender.

Finishing the match to a Maesteg supporters' chant of'Where's your stadium gone?' a thoroughly dejected Barry Town left the field on a warm and sunny day.

It was actually the perfect day to watch cricket, and though much of the Barry support had probably wished they'd watched some cricket instead, the final whistle greeted a stuffing - but not the feared cricket score.

* Soon after both sets of players had left the pitch, an impromptu get-together was called for by Dragons Chairman Stuart Lovering.

Calling aside the Chairman and the Secretary of the Barry Town Supporters' Club, Tim Johnson and Neil White respectively, Club Secretary David Cole and several supporters, Stuart Lovering said he wished for an end to the in-fighting and bickering which has plagued the club.

Although the huge debts of previous mismanagement at the club have been cleared, Mr Lovering is still battling to keep the Dragons on an even keel.

As it stands, it's difficult for fans to see how the club can thrive when it's not even based in its hometown - let alone in its own ground.

The banning orders on supporters have been lifted in a genuine sign of goodwill from the Club's Chairman.

There are still plenty of bridges to be built, but it is hoped that this new era of openess and forgiveness will see the long-term fans who have filtered away over this past season, brought back into the fold.

Any approach from the Club's Chairman to the fans in an act of reconciliation must certainly bode well for the future.

Having played Ton Pentre on Wednesday night, Barry Town face UWIC at Cyncoed Campus on Saturday.