Cardiff Metropolitan University booked their place in the European play-off final with a convincing win over Barry Town United at Cyncoed Campus on Saturday evening.
The Archers took the lead through Adam Roscrow, before Will Evans doubled the students lead. Callum Sainty then put the ball into his own net, before Roscrow added a fourth in Style.
Barry pulled a goal back as Jonathan Hood scored from the penalty spot, but it was no more than a consolation from the visitors, who can still be proud of their efforts in the second-half of the JD Welsh Premier League campaign.
Barry looked slow from the offset – and it is a deserved second final in consecutive years for Cardiff Met, who put in a classy performance against an under-par Linnets side.
The Archers will now travel to the rock to face Cefn Druids in next week’s European play-off final at the Rock, with kick-off at 12:25.
Match Report
Met started the brighter of the two teams as superb link-up play between Jordan Lam and Will Evans allowed the latter to burst through the middle, but his cross-shot went over Joe Massaro’s bar, who was standing in for the injured Mike Lewis for the monumental clash at Cyncoed Campus.
Cardiff Met continued to look electriftying on the counter-attack and it was Evans again who was at the heart of the attack as he played a neat one-two with Eliot Evans, but the finish was a tame one from the midfielder after Jonathan Hood carelessly gave the ball away for the Linnets.
The Archers were continuing to press Barry as Roscrow continued to cause their backline problems but his effor flashed over the bar as Gavin Chesterfield’s side defended in their numbers.
Met retained their pressure on the Barry backline and Roscrow was again making a menace of himself as Charlie Corsby’s dangerous looking cross found the target man, but he flashed his chance just wide of the mark in what was a very positive start from the students in the Welsh Capital.
And their hard work was soon rewarded as Roscrow was fed in by Eliot Evans in what was a wonderfully worked goal from the students as the striker kept his cool to slide the ball past Massaro with the outside of his boot.
Barry were now up against it, showing sensational instincts as he hit home his 11th goal of the season to delight the home faithful in Cyncoed.
In the first heated moment of the game, Corsby nastily brought down Drew Fahiya on the sideline, but the free-kick came to no avail as Callum Sainty headed it straight at Will Fuller in the Met goal.
The Archers maintained their good, early pressure as some neat football from the students allowed Eliot Evans to earn a bit of space for himself when he dropped his shoulder, but ultimately, his finish was disappointing as his effort rose over Massaro’s bar.
They soon doubled their lead as more fine work from Roscrow as he drove down the right-hand side, before finding Will Evans in the box, who turned exquisitely, before firing home past Massaro into the top-right hand corner just five minutes before the break.
From a free-kick, Met had their third goal and they were 3-0 up as Eliot Evans’ terrific ball was put in his own net by Callum Sainty to give the students an unassailable lead in what was a disastrous first-half from Chesterfield’s men, who had looked defensively vulnerable throughout the half.
(Image: Will Cheshire)
Met continued to look the better side in the second-half as Jordan Lam floated in a ball to the back-post but it had just too much pace for Roscrow as it went out for a Barry goal kick.
Barry looked deprived of any sort of confidence, but Jordan Cotterill tried to create something for himself as he drove the Linnets forward before shooting, but his effort was scuffed as Fuller collected with ease.
Met then added a fourth to add even more gloss to their performance as Jordan Lam brilliantly found Roscrow, who kept his cool to chip the ball over Massaro as it snuck its way into the bottom left-hand corner.
Barry pulled a goal back as Jonathan Hood netted his sixth goal of the season from the penalty spot after Matt Swindlehurst handled it in the box, but it was little more than a consolation for Chesterfield’s men, who were second-best at Cyncoed Campus.
Man of the match (Adam Roscrow)
A sublime performance from the forward, who was up for it from the offset. Took his first goal tremendously well as Eliot Evans fed the ball through to him.
He then set up the second goal following fine work down the right-hand side, before finishing off any second-half hopes that the Linnets had, with a stunning finish as he chipped the ball over Massaro, as the ball snuck into the bottom left-hand corner.
He has hit form at just the right time and could be an influential figure in the play-off final against the Ancients next week at the Rock stadium as Met look to book a date with the Europa League next season.
Cardiff Met: W Fuller, R Morgan, E Lewis, J Barnett, J edwards, C Corsby, E Evans, K McCarthy (C), A Roscrow, J Lam, W Evans
Subs: D Spencer, H Lloyd, T Parker, C Baker, M Swindlehurst
Barry Town United: J Massaro, M Southam-Hales, C Hugh, L Cooper, C Watkins, J Saddler (C), C Sainty, J Cotterill, J Hood, D Fahiya, K McLaggon
Subs: P Morgan, J Demetriou, L Gerrard, R Newman, L Cosslett, M George, J Baker
(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)
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