Afan Lido 1

Barry Town United 2

WITH 15 played and 15 to play, Barry Town United have reached the mid-point of their Welsh League Division One campaign - and hopes are high at Jenner Park that the side can build upon a fine first half by mounting a successful second half championship challenge.

After the gruelling Nathaniel MG Cup Final with The New Saints, manager Gavin Chesterfield rang the changes for the trip to Afan Lido, bringing James Dixon, Callum Sainty and Louis Gerrard into the starting line-up alongside midfielder Troy Greening, 10 months after the injury that curtailed his 2015-16 season.

Nevertheless, it was two of the Town’s cup final standouts who proved to be the difference in Port Talbot, with forwards Jordan Cotterill and TJ Nagi hitting the target at the Marston Stadium and helping the visitors into a commanding two goal lead.

Welsh Premier League mainstays for a number of seasons, Lido would offer a late reply to rouse their home support, but the Reds never threatened to stop Barry from claiming all three points, in what was one of the Town's most impressive excursions all season.

The 2 - 1 victory was Barry's third successive league success on the road and with second-placed Cambrian and Clydach held to a 1 - 1 draw by Monmouth, the win sets the table for the Town to leap into second should they beat Cwmbran Celtic at Jenner Park on Saturday (2pm kick-off).

With Cambrian fixture-less this weekend, Barry supporters will be hoping their team can extend its unbeaten run at home in the league, while following events at Plough Road with additional interest, as leaders Goytre entertain Taffs Well in another 2pm encounter.

Having secured a haul of 10 wins and four draws from their 17 outings to date, Goytre currently stand three points clear of Barry in the Division One table, albeit having played two more games than their Vale of Glamorgan adversaries.

Chesterfield will see his options bolstered on Saturday by the return of James Saddler, Chris Hugh and Tyrell Webbe, each of whom having featured in Wales' Futsal internationals against Moldova, Greece and San Marino last weekend.

Admission for the match between Barry and Celtic will be £5 (adults) at the turnstiles, with concessions available for senior citizens and children.

Meanwhile, the club has paid tribute to popular defender Bobby Briers this week, after the former Carmarthen Town and Haverfordwest County man moved on to fellow Welsh League outfit Pontypridd Town.

Arriving at Jenner Park in the 2012-13 campaign and featuring in that season’s Welsh Cup semi-final against Prestatyn Town in Newtown, back-to-back champion Briers would appear more than 100 times for the Barry first team, becoming an established penalty taker for the side in that time and scoring the crucial spot kick that saw off Cardiff Met in October’s Nathaniel MG Cup Quarter-Final.

P W D L F A

Goytre 17 10 4 3 +18 34

Cambrian and Clydach 20 9 5 6 +1 32

Barry Town United 15 9 4 2 +17 31

Taffs Well 17 8 3 6 +2 27

Penybont 15 8 2 5 +9 26

Caerau Ely 16 7 5 4 +8 26

Cwmbran Celtic 19 8 2 9 +1 26

Afan Lido 17 7 4 6 +7 25

Goytre United 17 6 6 5 +7 24

Haverfordwest 15 6 5 4 +1 23

Port Talbot Town 17 7 1 9 -11 22

Undy Athletic 17 6 1 10 -3 19

Monmouth Town 19 5 4 10 -15 19

Ton Pentre 14 5 1 8 -10 16

Caldicot Town 18 5 1 12 -18 16

Risca United 17 4 2 11 -14 14