BARRY Town United maintained their 100% home record in the 2018-19 JD Welsh Premier League with an entertaining 5-2 victory against struggling Llanelli Town on Friday night.
Having chalked up a string of successes against leaders Connah's Quay Nomads, Bala Town, Cefn Druids and Carmarthen Town, Barry's five-star evening made it five wins from five at Jenner Park, though the West Walians were left to rue a pair of contentious reds.
Watched by a crowd of 548, third-placed Barry wasted little time in seizing an early lead, as unmarked Robbie Patten nodded home from a routine Chris Hugh corner in the 4th minute.
However, the promoted visitors would be back on terms in short order when Joe Clarke headed a sky-bound clearance from Macauley Southam-Hales past Mike Lewis and into the Barry net.
For wide man Southam-Hales, it would prove the solitary blemish on a dazzling display, with the former Cardiff City starlet shining brightest in the 43rd minute, turning two Llanelli defenders inside out, before setting up teammate Jordan Cotterill for a golden chance.
While Reds goalkeeper Oliver Davies did well to deny Cotterill's close-range shot with an impressive reaction stop, the follow-up from Jonathan Hood gave the visiting goalkeeper scant time to recover, slotting into the net to restore Barry's goal advantage at the interval.
Into the second half, it would be another Barry mistake that allowed Llanelli to level at two apiece, with youngster Lenny Evans pouncing on Luke Cooper's slip-up and punishing the defender by side-footing into a gaping net, after Lewis had denied his initial attempt.
Then, for half an hour, the scores would remain level, but Llanelli's chances of taking a point back to Stebonheath were dealt a harsh blow when goalscorer Clarke was dismissed in the 58th minute, the midfielder issued a straight red for a perceived stamp on Troy Greening.
As replays would later indicate, Greening won the ball ahead of Clarke in a clean contest, yet the positioning of referee Bryn Markham-Jones appeared to give the official the impression of foul play from the Llanelli man, whose team would now be left to continue without him.
With 72 minutes elapsed, Hood was replaced by Kayne McLaggon, with the club's leading goalscorer from 2017-18 having dropped to the bench in wake of a six-game goalless streak.
McLaggon's last-gasp equaliser at Llanelli in August had been greeted with wild celebrations, yet the chance to take all three points this time was one the hosts could simply not pass up.
Back in the saddle, McLaggon almost made the difference when his header rebounded off the post, but it took until the 79th minute for Barry's breakthrough to finally arrive; Hugh's teasing ball into the danger zone crashing off goalkeeper Davies and ending up in the net.
Three minutes later, Llanelli were cut down to nine men, with veteran Chris Thomas handed his marching orders for a tussle with marksman McLaggon that merited a free-kick at most.
Barry's second substitution saw the introduction of Clayton Green in favour of club captain Cotterill and the son of ex-player Phil Green would be on fewer than five minutes before notching his second goal of the season, a left-footed finish into the roof of the Llanelli net.
Two goals and two men to the good, Barry manager Gavin Chesterfield then brought on long-serving defender Paul Morgan as the game's final substitute, but the final word went McLaggon, who cut inside and powered home deep in stoppage time to secure the 5-2 win.
With Barry finally laying claim to the Gary Lloyd Cup contested between the two sides, the Jenner Park outfit would maintain their position inside the JD Welsh Premier League's top three, ahead of this Saturday's pilgrimage to Bala, a 2.30pm kick-off at Maes Tegid.
Having reached the midway point of Phase One, Barry's haul of 22 points is now twice the number collected at the same stage last season, a testament to their form at Jenner Park.
As things stand, the club is seven points above the cut-off, with eleven games to the split, with a place in the top six vital for securing home advantage in any potential play-off for European football.
Unbeaten at the stadium since January, Barry will aim to continue their run at Jenner on Sunday 4th November, when Llandudno provide the opposition, before hosting the champions TNS on Saturday 17th November, one day after the Wales vs Denmark international.
Finally, supporters of the Jenner Park club were proud to see Modou Touray make his Wales U21 debut last week, with the talent teenager (on loan from Newport County) appearing as a second half substitute in the 3-1 UEFA European Championship triumph over Switzerland.
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