Cadoxton Barry FC 5 (Weekley 2, Walsh, Williams and Morgan) St Albans 3

IT’S strange, isn't it, how events of yesteryear can have a direct influence on the events of the present, but that is how history works.

If a certain Stuart Lovering hadn't purchased Barry Town out of administration on that fateful December 10, 2003, Barry footballing double title wins would not have happened on March 28, 2015. It is fair to say that Barry FC would not have been formed by protesting fans and would not have been around to later merge with Cadoxton Cons to form Cadoxton Barry FC were it not for the actions of Lovering.

Indeed, the Cadoxton side of the club might have folded without the merger and, with committed former Barry Town/founder members of Barry FC drifting back to delay the chairman Lovering’s piece by piece dismantling of Barry Town, Barry FC might well have lasted only a few more years on its own.

But with the 'final' withdrawal of Barry Town from the Welsh League as Lovering's parting shot, followed by court hearings instigated by the Supporters Club, Barry Town United emerged from the ashes, albeit at the lowest tier of the Welsh League.

Thus, without the mutual support gained from the FC/Cons merger, the determination of the Town fans to see a Barry football club survive at Jenner Park and, most crucially, the arrival and departure of Mr Lovering - the instigator of it all - this day might never have happened.

The CB part of the Barry football title double started with early exchanges being fairly even, though a Morgan cross across the face of the Saints' goal just failed to get the touch needed to put CB ahead.

With only 10 minutes gone, and CB trying to keep a high line, the offside ploy was beaten as a forward ran on from within his own half to dummy around the oncoming Harker before opening the scoring for the visitors.

The lead lasted barely a minute with CB earning a free kick just outside the right side of the box and the gusting wind timed things perfectly in assisting Walsh's quality shot to curl into the net just out of the 'keeper's reach.

Then 15 minutes later Oaten and Baker combined well for the latter to send a shot into the box which sparked a bit of a melee. Three shots were fired in and three shots were blocked before Scott Williams managed to find the net with the fourth.

Then came the goal of the game as Morgan went on a fine run down the flank. He passed inside to Oaten who, having spotted Weekley on a run to his left pushed it accurately into his path for a fine finish.

If spectators thought that CB were about to run away with things they were mistaken because just before the half-time whistle CB defused a Saints attack to pass the ball around in front of goal.

The ball went loose for a forward to pounce on before selling a dummy which wrong footed Harker to create the space to reduce the half-time deficit to just the one goal.

CB started the second half with a bang as Dawson won a ball to pass out to Morgan on his left and he ran on into the box, evading a couple of challenges en route before slamming the ball home under the 'keeper's diving body.

Although the game was played out in the best of spirits, one isolated altercation saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

However, the 20 that remained continued to make this a highly entertaining game for the close on three figure crowd that was now swelled with players and officials from Cadoxton Barry's two reserve sides that had kicked off early, along with the arrival of a number of Sully players whose game was postponed.

The game began to look safe when Curran sent a long header forward to find Oaten who tucked it into Weekley's path, allowing him to fire into an empty net in the 70th minute and that was almost the last action he saw as Steel, Thompson and Sam Williams came on in quick succession for Dawson, Weekley and Oaten.

Perhaps the rapid changes were responsible, but CB stuttered a little before regaining their composure.

During that time they conceded as a tremendously high ball came down almost vertically a foot in front of the CB goal line and it was a visiting forward who was first to react as the ball was blasted high into the roof of the net.

With the ship steadied the final minutes were, perhaps, not quite as entertaining as the earlier stages - St Albans losing a second player to two yellows just two minutes from the end.

It was the final score that mattered - the 5 - 3 outcome giving Cadoxton Barry FC the South Wales Senior League Division Two title for the second and final time in their history.

This result means that Cadoxton Barry will play in the second of the three divisions that will form the new South Wales Football Alliance that starts next season following the merger of the South Wales Senior and South Wales Amateur Leagues. This will be the sixth level in the Welsh football pyramid.

Cadoxton Barry has one final game to play this season and that will take place at Bryn-Y-Don when they entertain Tongwynlais in a 2pm kick off on April 18. The divisional trophy and player medals will be presented at the end of the match.

Cadoxton Barry would like to congratulate Barry Town United on winning the Welsh League Division Two title. Their win over Penrhiwceiber Rangers coupled with Caldicot's defeat to Aberbargoed Buds ensures at least two titles come to Barry.

Although technically, not a Barry side, the question now is, can Sully (constituted mainly of Barry players) make it three in the area as the season unwinds. They are certainly well set to do so and they will be keeping their fingers crossed.

Celebrations at Cadoxton Cons went on well into the night, even a Barry Town United player popping in briefly to congratulate the players. Though they know that next season is going to be a lot tougher and that a lot more hard work is going to be required, for now, everyone is enjoying the moment.