Barry Town United 0-1 Newtown: Sheridan snatches victory at Barry
Ian Sheridan’s 85th-minute strike was enough for Newtown to claim victory over Barry Town United at Jenner Park.
Sheridan scored the only goal of the afternoon as the Robins claimed victory in a game that saw very little in the way of chances.
The win gives Newtown a confidence boost ahead of next Saturday’s Welsh Cup fixture that sees the two sides meet again.
Barry see themselves fall to fourth in the table after a lacklustre performance whilst Newtown remain in eighth.
Barry would have an early chance to take the lead when the ball found its way to Eli Phipps six yards out in the fourth minute.
Phipps failed to make any meaningful contact with his shot and it trickled away harmlessly.
After Phipps’ early chance the game descended into a scrappy affair with Newtown happy to keep possession but failing to create any meaningful chances.
A mix up between Kieran Mills-Evans and David Jones in the Newtown goal again gave Phipps the chance to open the scoring.
Despite having an almost open goal Phipps dragged his shot wide from 18-yards out much to the relief of Newtown’s travelling support.
Mills-Evans would have Newtown’s first shot on target in the 25th minute when his 25-yard volley stung the palms of Barry shot-stopper George Ratcliffe.
Joseph Kenton’s volley would be the only other chance of the first-half but he couldn’t find the target.
Newtown went in at halftime the happier of the two sides having controlled possession for the majority of the first half despite failing to create any clear cut chances.
Newtown immediately regained control in the second-half with both Alex Fletcher and Sheridan seeing long-range efforts just miss the target.
A double change from Barry manager Gavin Chesterfield in the 66th-minute failed to change the momentum of the game as Newtown continued to keep possession.
Barry would get the next meaningful opportunity of the contest when Momodou Touray was brought down on the edge of the box.
Chris Hugh’s free-kick, however, failed to clear the wall and Barry returned to being on the back foot.
With a draw looking likely, Newtown dealt Barry a huge blow.
A harmless-looking free-kick on the halfway line would provide the match-winning strike.
Barry failed to clear the ball in to the box and it fell to Sheridan who neatly curled his shot in to the bottom left corner of Ratcliffe’s goal to give the visitors the lead.
With time running out Barry’s best opportunity of the game fell to Touray. A low ball into the box found the striker unmarked 12-yards out but he drilled his effort straight at Jones.
Barry would have one final opportunity deep into stoppage time.
Callum Sainty rose high above the Newtown defence to meet a cross from Hugh but his header would go over the bar.
Barry Town United: George Ratcliffe, Chris Hugh, Luke Cooper, Curtis Watkins, Eli Phipps (Momodou Touray 66’), Drew Fahiya, Luke Cunmings, Keyon Reffell, Sion Spence (Jordan Cotterill 66’), Clayton Green, Evan Press (Callum Sainty 78’)
Newtown: David Jones, Sean McAllister, Kieran Mills-Evans, Neil Mitchell, Nicholas Rushton (Sam Barnes 90’), Ian Sheridan, Joseph Kenton, Matthew Williams (Niall Flint 69’), Lifumpa Mwandwe (Jack Thorn 81’), Alexander Fletcher, Jack Kelly
Recap how the Robins beat Barry here:
(Featured Image: Rhys Skinner)
