Vale of Glamorgan League Division One

Cadoxton Barry 2nds 5 (Adams 2, Geary, Angove - penalty, Brown)

SP Billy 4 (Shaw 3, McCarthy)

ALTHOUGH Cadoxton Barry's Highadmit South Wales Alliance League match at Abertridwr was called off because of a frozen pitch, they chose not to pack their reserve side with first team players so the 2nds knew from the outset that they were going to have to pull out all the stops if they were to get anything from this match against a side that had lost just three league matches all season.

Most of the early action took place in the middle of the park, but Cadoxton Barry did go close when a move started by Mohammed through to Bennett saw the latter's forward ball being just too strong for Adams to chase down when in a good position.

And the initiator of that move might have done better shortly after when, in a one-on-one with the 'keeper, Mohammed took the extra unnecessary touch that allowed the visiting 'keeper time to close the gap.

Gradually, the visitors started to build a head of steam and, following a number of pressure situations on the Cadoxton Barry goal, they earned a free kick a couple of yards beyond the right side of the Cadoxton Barry box.

Sweetly struck, it had the power and dip to bring an excellent save from 'keeper Peacock as he managed to tip the shot over from just below the bar.

Billy were now on the rampage whilst the Cadoxton Barry defence looked a little fragile.

Shaw danced and weaved around numerous token challenges on a number of occasions. And one of these runs saw the waters parting to allow a simple tap in finish from close in.

Then, with Billy now in the ascendency, Peacock did really well to clutch on to an ambitious overhead attempt from the visitors.

However, Cadoxton Barry did manage to venture up field on occasion and one of these forays earned them a free kick a few yards beyond the left angle of the box. Adams stepped up, hitting the sweet spot to find the back of the net with a goal that Gylfi Sigurdsson would have been proud of. This lifted Cadoxton Barry, and for the remaining five minutes of the half, they managed to compete on equal terms with the Billy.

Indeed, they started the second half in the ascendency, taking only two minutes of it to take the lead. Blackmore initiated a move along the left from where he found the overlapping Angove who pumped the ball into the box for Adams to trap, shimmy and finish from close in.

Only three minutes later the lead was two goals wide when, again from the left, Bennet found Adams who fed forward for Geary to do the rest. But this was a goal that signalled an end that Cadoxton Barry surge.

Indeed, it was a Billy surge down the left that ended with McCarthy beating Peacock with the neatest of little up-and-under-chips that you are ever likely to see - this in the 53rd minute.

However, no sooner did Billy seem ready to take the game by the scruff of the neck, than did a Cadoxton Barry breakaway regain their two goal buffer. It came when a ball from Adams to Bennet saw the latter being stamped on from behind.

Angove made no mistake when he stepped up to the spot to bury the resulting penalty on the 58 minute mark. But with Billy continuing to call the shots it took only a further four minutes for them to narrow the gap to one again.

Again the move started on the left from where the cross found Billy's star man, Shaw, to effect a neat little dummy before firing into the net at the far post.

But immediately after, a long range Cadoxton Barry dip at goal from Bennet saw the visiting 'keeper palming the ball away - although it looked to have crossed before contact with the 'keeper was made but it didn't count.

With Cadoxton Barry's defenders looking very down Billy continued to take the game to their hosts in their desperate quest for an equaliser.

Indeed, even though there was very little time left it looked as though an equaliser now would probably herald a winner for the visitors. And that expected equaliser came from that man Shaw with just three minutes left on the clock.

Again he weaved through the Cadoxton Barry defence as though there was no one there, and again he was able to finish with a well taken goal to complete a fine hat-trick.

Even though there were barely two minutes of added time now remaining a Billy winner now looked more than likely. But Cadoxton Barry had a trick of their own ready to pull out of the hat.

And, bearing in mind their defence's negative body language, it was even more amazing.

A clearance found Bennet on the left and he crossed to Brown who had found space in the centre of the box from where he stooped to head home a goal worthy of winning any match.

Billy looked stunned but bravely tried to retrieve a point in the remaining moments of added time - on one occasion seeing a powerful shot fly just over the Cadoxton Barry bar. But it was too little and too late to prevent Cadoxton Barry from coming away with all the spoils.

Plaudits must go to both sets of players for their contributions to one of the most entertaining games at this level of the game. It is not often that a player scores a hat-trick and still ends up on the losing side, so special praise must go to Billy's Shaw, whilst a particular mention also goes to Cadoxton Barry's Dean Adams, especially for that long range goal from a free kick.

Next Saturday Cadoxton Barry's 1st team are due to play host to Clwb Cymric in a 2pm kick-off at Bryn-Y-Don.