South Wales Intermediate Cup Round 1

AFC Perthcelyn 2 V Barry Athletic 3

SATURDAY saw Barry Athletic’s senior side take part in Round One of the South Wales Intermediate cup where they were drawn away to AFC Perthcelyn from the Aberdare Valley Premier League. With the Athletic finally being able to field a fully fit side for the first time this season Manager David Govier was hopeful his side’s fortunes would turn around and gain a much needed morale boosting victory.

The Athletic started well with Lee Stradling, making his first start of the season, partnered up top with Captain Meirion Evans causing the home defence all kinds of problems. The team looked confident all over the park with passing flowing football the order of the day and it was a delight to see given the problems over the first month of the season with so many players missing. The breakthrough came on twenty minutes with Sean Parrish getting on the end of a good move and slotting the ball low into the corner of the net to put the away side one up. This seemed to fire up the home side who were not in the mood to be beaten on home turf and they had a couple of decent efforts fly just over the bar. They did get themselves back into the game on 35 minutes though when a free kick was poorly defended by the Athletic resulting in keeper Huw Davies giving away what seemed to be a soft penalty with his eyes firmly locked on the ball. The two sides went in at half time at 1-1.

The rally call at half time was for much of the same in the second half, plenty of passing football which would undoubtedly continue to cause the home side problems. It was back to the wall stuff for the first 15 minutes though with the home side showing their intent on winning the game with some heavy pressure but rarely troubled Davies in goal and were kept to shots from distance by the Athletic back line. As the half went on the away side got a grip of the game though and found themselves 2-1 up when Stradling was played in and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. The home side hit back almost straight away, when the ball was cleared out wide, the full back played a delightful ball back into the box to his striker in acres of room who made no mistake from 12 yards out, game on with 15 minutes to go. With the game now end to end with both sides pushing for the win it fell to an unlikely hero with Lee Reid getting on the end of a free kick and bundling the ball into the bottom corner. The home side, in their frustration, were reduced to ten men which helped the Athletic see out the final five minutes of the game and pick a priceless morale boosting victory.

Thanks go to AFC Perthcelyn and The Mountain Ash Inn for their hospitality after the game and to the supporters who made the long journey up the A470.

Round two see’s the Athletic welcome Llangeinor F.C. to Barry Island on Saturday, October 18. Kick-off is at 2pm and, as always, the clubhouse will be open after the game to welcome friends of the club both old and new.

Barry Athletic: Huw Davies, Lee Reid, David Govier, Ben Jones, Mike Powell, Ady Gratton, Chris Cannon, Craig Rattenbury, Lee Marshall, Sean Parrish, Billy Gratton, Ben Stephenson, Michael Murphy, Meirion Evans (capt), Lee Stradling