AFTER an exciting international break, the JD Welsh Premier League season resumes this weekend, with promoted Barry Town United chasing a first victory since returning to the national top flight.

Barry will host Newtown at Jenner Park this Saturday in a 2.30pm kick-off, with admission via the Barry Road and Gladstone Road ends at £7 (adults), £5 (senior citizens/students) and £3 (children).

The Robins began their campaign with a 3-0 defeat at Bala Town on opening day, only to recover with a 1-1 draw against Cefn Druids, before beating Carmarthen Town 4-1 the subsequent weekend.

These results have left the mid-Wales club in familiar mid-table territory; three points clear of Barry, whose position is still yet to reflect their efforts after encouraging performances against Aberystwyth Town, Prestatyn Town and defending champions The New Saints.

Boss Gavin Chesterfield will be hopeful of another organised display in Matchday 4, with perhaps the key threat to Mike Lewis’ net posed by FA Trophy-winning forward Jamie Reed; the former Wrexham and South Melbourne striker having bagged in brace in Newtown’s recent win against the Old Gold.

Meanwhile, with recovering Barry talisman Jordan Cotterill on the verge of a hotly-anticipated return to the side, Chesterfield has added to his team’s array of options in the opposition half with his deadline day signing of the versatile Macauley Southam.

Cardiff-born Southam is a midfielder by trade and a product of the Cardiff City academy system, which he progressed through to sign professional terms at the Cardiff City Stadium in April 2014.

Born in 1996, Southam is a former captain of the Bluebirds’ U18 side, turning out alongside current Barry Town defender Curtis Watkins and goalkeeper Joe Massaro at that level.

No stranger to Jenner Park, Southam also featured for the Bluebirds in three pre-season victories at Barry Town, including their most recent in August 2016.

Nominated for Cardiff City’s Goal of the Month on multiple occasions, Southam’s tenure saw him take to the field at Huddersfield’s Kirklees Stadium, Ipswich’s Portman Road, Burnley’s Turf Moor and Charlton’s The Valley, where he helped himself to a brace in a 3-2 victory.

He would also find the net against academy and development teams from Watford, QPR, Brighton and others, across his multi-year stint with the current Championship leaders.

Discussing his latest acquisition, Chesterfield commented: "I'm delighted to be working with Macauley, he has a good pedigree and his profile fits what we look for in a player.

Taking on the Town’s number 21 shirt for the 2017-18 campaign, Southam is expected to slot straight into the Barry Town squad this Saturday and vie for his debut Welsh Premier League appearance.

Southam joins development squad starlets Bradley Cotterill, Luke Davidson and Luke Sylvester in the first team set-up; each of them handed a squad number this past week, joining Welsh Premier Development League South teammates Callum Flynn, Mikey George and goalkeeper Joe Baker.

With the largest squad in memory, Chesterfield’s Town seem well-equipped to compete on multiple fronts; and have been handed a favourable draw in the second stage of the Nathaniel MG Cup.

With memories of last season’s final with TNS still fresh in the memory, 2016-17 runners-up Barry will entertain Afan Lido of Welsh League Division One in the second stage, with the tie to be played at Jenner Park on Tuesday 3rd October.

The Town received a bye to October's regionalised round of sixteen as one of four previous semi-finalists, alongside Carmarthen Town, Connah's Quay Nomads and cup holders The New Saints.

Three JD Welsh Premier League sides were eliminated in last week’s opening round, with Bala beaten 1-0 at home by Newtown, Llandudno losing by the same scoreline to Caernarfon, Druids edged out by Airbus after extra-time and Holywell pipping Prestatyn Town in a penalty shoot-out.

Held at the Vale Resort, the draw for the second round was made by Wales internationals Joe Allen and Neil Taylor, who picked out the home and away sides, respectively.

Among the other standout matches, Connah's Quay Nomads will entertain Bangor City in the second round’s only all-Welsh Premier League affair.

Barry and Lido’s most recent meeting in this competition came at the same stage in October 1999, with Jody Jenkins and Darren Davies scoring for the Town in a 2-0 away win.

Lido are three-time holders of the trophy, securing the silverware in each of its first two seasons and then again in 2012, while Barry have lifted the cup on four successive occasions, from 1997 to 2000.

Before the cup competitions return though, important Welsh Premier points are at stake; and with around 900 supporters turning out for each of the Town’s games at Jenner Park thus far, it is hoped another strong crowd will be backing the Barry boys in this weekend’s first Saturday home match.

Barry and Newtown have contested 20 Welsh Premier League matches to date, with the Vale of Glamorgan side possessing the upper hand with a haul of 11 victories to the Robins’ three.

In their last meeting in March 2004, the home side claimed one of only three league victories that season; a 3-2 win at Jenner Park, with goals from Gareth Elliott, Gavin Allen and Richard Kennedy.

Newtown’s most memorable win meanwhile came in May 2001, when the Robins beat Barry by two goals to nil on the same afternoon the Town would lift their fifth of seven Welsh Premier League trophies.

However, the most notable game between the two sides came almost 20 years ago to the day; an August Bank Holiday 5-5 thriller at Jenner Park, and many will be hoping for more of that level of excitement this weekend.