Barry Town United 7 - Haverfordwest County 1

BARRY Town United became the only team from outside the Welsh Premier League to reach the semi-finals of this season’s Nathaniel MG Cup, with a magnificent 7 - 1 win over Haverfordwest County.

Town opened the scoring through Drew Fahiya, who followed up his brace against Port Talbot Town with a fine 12th-minute volley, after receiving a superlative assist from teammate Jordan Cotterill.

However, the Pembrokeshire-based visitors would restore parity on the half-hour mark, with Kieran O’ Brien capitalising on some Barry defensive woes to claim what was ultimately a soft equaliser.

Moments before half-time, the men in yellow were awarded what proved to be a pivotal free kick, following a foul on Tyrell Webbe towards the left hand flank.

Whipping across an inquisitive left footed ball, full back Lee Baldock set up Luke Cooper for a pinpoint, close range header, after Cooper snuck between two Haverfordwest defenders.

Cooper’s goal handed the Town a valuable 2 - 1 lead, though few could have expected the 45 minutes to follow, as Barry put together their finest attacking spell of the entire season to date.

Haverfordwest had started the second period on the front foot, knocking on the door of Barry goalkeeper Mike Lewis and keeping their fellow Welsh League Division One side under the cosh.

The battling Bluebirds though had not accounted for the form of forward Fahiya, who quickly re-emerged to score his second - and Barry’s third - from close range in the 52nd minute.

Now 3 - 1 ahead and with a semi-final berth in their sights, the Town were on the up and Cooper looked to have made it four, only to see his header ruled out, to the bemusement of the Jenner Park crowd.

However, Haverfordwest’s respite would be merely temporary and the visitors soon fell victim to a spellbinding hat-trick from one of their former players; an enthused and inspired James Dixon.

Continuing his headline hitting exploits that lit up Barry’s Welsh Cup run last season, Dixon propelled his Town team into an emphatic 4 - 1 advantage; lifting the ball over an ill-positioned County goalkeeper from distance, with 57 minutes on the clock.

Seven minutes later, Dixon struck once more to put the tie beyond his former club; the striker finishing off an impressive team move, after strong work from teammates Cotterill and Webbe.

With the Tuesday crowd of approximately 300 spurring the home side on, Dixon then completed his hat-trick in the 84th minute, before Cotterill put the cherry on top with Barry’s magnificent seventh.

In the closing stages, Gavin Chesterfield handed a competitive debut to development squad player Mikey George; the youngster arriving in place of Cotterill and almost capping his senior team bow with an audacious eighth from long range.

As it was though, the score remained 7 - 1; Barry’s biggest victory in the competition since December 1997 and their largest at Jenner Park since entering the tournament for the first time in 1994-95.

The semi-final stage now pairs Barry with Carmarthen Town, whose manager, the former Wales international Mark Aizlewood, was in attendance at Jenner Park for the Haverfordwest fixture.

The Old Gold edged past Newtown in extra-time to secure their semi-final berth, while the other tie sees the Welsh Premier League’s top sides, The New Saints and Connah’s Quay, pitted head-to-head.

The Nathaniel MG Cup semi-final match between Barry Town United and Carmarthen Town will take place at Jenner Park on Tuesday, November 8, 7.45pm kick-off.
Admission on Tuesday evening will be £5 for adults and £3 for concessions, with accompanied children welcomed free of charge. 
The tie will be settled on the night, via extra-time and/or a penalty shoot-out, if required.

This Saturday meanwhile sees the return of Welsh Cup football, as the Town welcome fellow Welsh League Division One outfit Penybont to Jenner Park in Wales’ flagship, 139-year-old competition.

Kick-off is at 2pm, with fans hoping for a return to the form that saw off Haverfordwest, after seeing a changed Town side beaten 1 - 0 by a spirited Llantwit Major in the Welsh League Cup last weekend.

Details on the Barry/Carmarthen fixture meanwhile have yet to be confirmed, with supporters encouraged to check barrytownunited.co.uk regularly for date and location information.