THERE was cause for celebration at the weekend for local football supporters, as Barry Town United made their much-anticipated return to Welsh League Division One following two successive promotions.

However, hopes of a point or more on the season's opening Saturday were crushed by the cruellest of stoppage time strikes; opponents Cardiff Metropolitan snatching the spoils in the 93rd minute of this classic at Cyncoed Campus.

The home side, denied promotion to the Welsh Premier League on goal difference last season, were always going to be a difficult first test for Gavin Chesterfield's squad.

Nonetheless, it was Town who threatened first, with impressive newcomer Louis Feeley striking the crossbar after five minutes and prospect Jamie Bird, a loan signing from neighbours Cardiff City, firing off target after the goalkeeper had been forced to head off his line.

In a contest played at a fast and furious tempo, Barry forward James Dixon saw his 17th minute shot saved, before Dan Bradley punched clear at the opposite end a minute later.

Functioning as a lone front man in the absence of the injured TJ Nagi and Jordan Cotterill, Dixon led the line with fire and passion but would find his goalscoring opportunities limited by the able Metropolitan defence.

In one of their few moments of vulnerability, midfielder Rhys James used skill to beat the Met offside; only for the resulting effort to be cleared in the 43rd minute.

With full-back Paul Morgan putting in the miles to keep up with a relentlessly energetic Cardiff Met winger, the half-time break proved welcome respite for a Barry side forced to lose skipper James Saddler to injury for the second half.

Ironically, it was replacement Michael Hartley, a casualty for the whole of last season, who almost put Barry ahead early in the period; with the winger's sweet strike shaking the side netting and causing ripples of excitement amidst the travelling hordes.

After Cardiff Met missed a glorious chance in the 54th minute, Rhys James looked poised to break the deadlock in Barry's favour on the hour, only for the referee to sound his whistle, decreeing that the ball had been run out of play.

The pendulum continued to swing between the sides when a quickly-taken free-kick in the 75th minute put the Met through on goal, only to blaze over one of a number of wasted chances.

To his credit, Bradley (starting his ninth straight season minding the Town goal) would comfortably deal with many of the rest.

Then, with 10 minutes left on the ground's electric scoreboard, pacy wide man Feeley saw his curling effort from distance saved, ensuring the stalemate ensued as the clock ticked towards full-time.

With the 90 minutes of pulsating play elapsed, the Town would win a free-kick in the opposing half; a golden opportunity, it appeared, for the visitors to seize all three points and upset a Met side who had tested Barry's fitness to its limit.

However, this entertaining tussle had a twist in the tail yet, and mere moments after clearing their lines, the home side struck gold; drilling a fine effort from the left past Bradley to win the match with almost its final kick.

As the Barry players slumped to the ground in despair, one could not help but sympathise with the lads in yellow and blue, whose efforts over the course of the afternoon would have seen few begrudge them a draw.

Nevertheless, it was not to be - and yet despite the dramatic turn of events for the Town in Cardiff, signs remain positive for the 2015-16 season ahead; with Penybont the opposition this Saturday at Bryntirion Park (2.30pm kick-off).

Barry will be without dependable and determined defender Lewis Cosslett, who played through the pain barrier at Cardiff Met, only to be ruled out for the forthcoming matches.

The club though has been bolstered by the signing of Kareem Leigh, who joins goalkeeper Joe Massaro, local lad Oli Dalton and further Bluebirds loanee Elvis Menayese among the fresh faces in the Town senior squad.

Saturday's fixture will be the third of the season on a 3G playing surface, with Barry's midweek meeting with Risca United played at their new Ystrad Mynach facility on Tuesday evening.