Barry Town United 3–2 Bala Town: Drama at Jenner Park as Kayne McLaggon wins it for Linnets and eight-man Lakesiders implode
Barry Town United won an enthralling encounter against Bala Town as the visitors ended the game with eight men on the field.
Bala took the lead through Chris Venables, but were pegged-back mid-way through the first-half as Jonathan Hood equalised for the hosts.
Thomas Fry then gave the Linnets the lead on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a free-kick, before Bala were reduced to 10-men as Sean Smith was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Chris Venables then equalised for the visitors, before Kayne McLaggon bundled the ball home to give Barry victory and there was still enough time for the Lakesiders to receive two additional red cards, as Evan Horwood and captain Chris Venables were sent off.
Match Report
Bala Town started the better of the two sides at Jenner Park and took the lead through Chris Venables as Henry Jones, their summer signing from Bangor City, once again showed his class and worth, by providing another assist following a free-kick from the left-hand side – and the Lakesiders made it count as captain Chris Venables slotted his header past Mike Lewis.
The visitors were in control now and continued to keep up the pressure on the Barry Town United back-line after opening the scoring at Jenner Park, but without creating an influx of chances on Lewis’ goals.
Barry then had their first proper chance of the game after a delightful ball over the top by Thomas Fry, who found Newport loanee Momodou Touray, who couldn’t quite find the connection he was looking for as the ball went out for a goal-kick for the Lakesiders.
After a positive start from the Lakesiders, Barry slowly built their way back into the game and were level following a sensational move mid-way through the first half.
Macauley Southam-Hales found some space down the right-hand side and found former Port Talbot man Jonathan Hood, unmarked, and he made no mistake, firing a powerful shot across Ashley Morris’ goal. Giving the goalkeeper absolutely no chance to level the game just past the half-hour mark.
As the game approached half-time, Barry had a free-kick in a dangerous area. Initially Thomas Fry was adjudged to have taken it too quickly and the referee ordered that Fry re-took the free-kick – and as a result, he smashed the ball home to give the hosts the lead heading into the break.
Bala Town were then reduced to 10-men as Sean Smith was dismissed, but the Lakesiders somehow found an equaliser as Venables connected with another one of Jones’ dangerous free-kicks.
Barry then won it with just minutes to spare as McLaggon bundled the ball into the back of the net.
That wasn’t the end of the drama, though, as there was still time for both Evan Horwood and captain Chris Venables to get sent off as the Lakesiders, somehow, ended the game with eight men.
(Featured Image: Rhys Skinner)
