JD WELSH Premier League action returns to Jenner Park on Saturday, with a strong crowd expected at the stadium for Barry Town United’s Play-Off Conference opener against visitors Aberystwyth Town.

With five points separating the teams at the start of Phase Two, both Barry and Aberystwyth will be targeting a spot in the JD Welsh Premier League’s European play-offs; a position currently occupied by Llandudno, who lead the chase on 28 points.

Saturday’s match will be the third between Barry and Aberystwyth this campaign, yet there has been little to nothing between the teams in their JD Welsh Premier League clashes to date.

While October’s stalemate at Park Avenue was largely uneventful, an exciting opener at Jenner Park in August saw Barry race into a first-half lead, only for Johnny Spittle’s controversial equaliser to peg the hosts back, denying Gavin Chesterfield’s team a win front of the TV cameras.

Today’s Aberystwyth Town has a slightly different look to the side that started the season, with goalscorer Spittle having since departed for Connah’s Quay Nomads, while the likes of Declan Carroll, John McKenna and substitute Christian Langos have all moved on to pastures new.

Manager Neville Powell has meanwhile bolstered his playing squad with the signing of striker Kurt Sherlock and attacking midfielder Tom Owens from Radcliffe Borough, as well as Halesowen Town’s Malcolm Melvin, who marked his debut with a weekend winner at Cardiff Met in the Welsh Cup.

The Seasiders are unbeaten in three and wrapped up their Phase One fixtures with a surprise 4-2 victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads at Park Avenue; midfielder Joe Phillips contributing a hat-trick.

Historically, Barry have won half of the teams’ 22 Welsh Premier League meetings to date, their breakthrough success coming in 1995, as Francis Ford and Dai Withers netted in a 3-1 home win.

Over the years, Barry vs Aberystwyth encounters at Jenner Park have provided plenty of entertainment; perhaps none more than in 1997, when former Cardiff City pairing Tony Bird and Chris Pike helped themselves to a hat-trick apiece, as Barry romped to an emphatic 8-1 home win.

The following season, it was midfielder Danny Carter who was the hat-trick hero, with Darren Ryan, Eifion Williams and Pike again on target in a 6-1 victory, the latter converting from the penalty spot.

In 2000, the Jenner Park faithful were treated to a thrilling 3-3 draw; Kevin Morrison, Glyndwr Hughes and Steve Mardenborough helping the visitors into a 3-0 half-time lead, before goals from player-manager Richard Jones, Jamie Ince and a last-minute Paul Evans equaliser rescued a point.

Then, after Barry secured a seventh Welsh Premier League title against Aberystwyth at Jenner Park in 2003, a crowd of 600 saw the Seasiders beat Barry on the opening night of the 2003-04 season; the WPL ever-presents finally winning in the Vale on their final visit before the current campaign.

Kick-off for Saturday’s match between Barry and Aberystwyth is at the later time of 4.15pm, with supporters welcomed to watch Wales’ Six Nations opener at the clubhouse, prior to the JD Welsh Premier League fixture.

Admission for Saturday's match at Jenner Park is £7 (adults), £5 (senior citizens/students) and £3 (children).