Barry Town: Dragons back on top thanks to Nagi strike (From Barry And District News)

Barry Town: Dragons back on top thanks to Nagi strike

8:30am Thursday 4th October 2012 in Sport

Barry Town 1 TATA STEEL 0

WITH Barry Town flying high and Tata Steel bottom of the league, this game was a potential banana skin. With the Dragons looking for the win that would take them back to the top of the Division One table, the opening half hour did not see much goal action as Tata defended stoutly against a potent Town attack.

The Dragons thought they had won a penalty when TJ Nagi was tackled in the box but the referee waved away the claims. Tata Steel’s most dangerous moments came from free kicks but they were not able to penetrate a very strong Dragons defence.

Town's first chance fell to Lee Baldock but he was unable to make contact with Nagi’s cross and Tata were able to clear the ball. Nagi was raiding down the left and cutting into the box with ease but some last-ditch defending kept the scoresheet blank.

It took 35 minutes before Tata had their first shot, which was easily dealt with by Town’s keeper Dan Bradley.

The Dragons then broke clear but Baldock was unable to keep his header on target. Another chance fell to Tata and it took a great tackle by Ryan Evans to halt the attack.

The first half was brought to a close with the Dragons struggling to regain the rhythm of play that had brought them three successive wins.

The second half started with an immediate chance for Nagi but the Tata keeper palmed the ball around the upright for a corner. Evans' shot from the resulting corner was cleared off the line by a Tata defender. Nagi and Geraint Frowen then combined for a cross, which was headed over the bar by Nickie Jones.

With 10 minutes of the second half gone, Nagi again picked up the ball and ran past several defenders into the box before neatly sliding the ball past the Tata keeper into the net.

The Dragons were now dominating the game but were unable to increase their lead as the Tata keeper brought off a succession of brilliant saves to keep his team in it.

Chances fell to Evans, Christian Doidge, Nagi and Dale Howarth but they could not get the ball past the keeper. Deep into injury time Tata thought they had sneaked an equaliser when a free kick into the Dragons' penalty area caused some chaos but the ball hit the post and was cleared to Howarth who ran at the Tata keeper who brought off another great save.

The referee then blew his whistle to bring the game to a close and the Dragons were back on top of the league.

The LDS Motor Factors/RIM Motors man of the match was Dale Howarth.

Dragons: Dan Bradley; Geraint Frowen, Lewis Cosslett, Ryan Evans, Dan Clare, James Saddler, Nickie Jones, Dale Howarth, TJ Nagi, Christian Doidge, Lee Baldock.

Substitutes; Ryan Jenkins, Paul Morgan, Bobby Briers, Josh Bell, Nathan Williams,.

* On Saturday the Dragons travel to Caerleon in the first round of the FAW Welsh Cup. Caerleon have already completed a league double over the Dragons this season. A hard game can, therefore, be expected.