Barry Town 3-2 Cardiff Met: Barry keep Adran Premier top four hopes alive

Barry Town squeaked past Cardiff Met 3-2 at Jenner Park to keep their Adran Premier top four hopes alive.

Barry raced into a three-goal lead in the opening 25 minutes with strikes from Ingrid Ådland, Danielle Broadhurst, and Keira Harris, but Beca Thomas’ goal for Met reduced the deficit down to two at the break.

The Archers came out all guns blazing in the second half, and through Ruby Colleton found their second goal early. But despite putting on heaps of pressure, they couldn’t do enough to level.

The result moves Barry up to fourth, while Met stay winless and bottom of the table.

Barry Town manager Stevie McCarthy-Campbell elected to make two changes from last weekend’s draw away at Aberystwyth Town. New signing Danielle Broadhurst, along with Keira Harris, started in place of Amy Long and Ellie Preece.

New Met manager Jonathan Nash made three changes from the side that were defeated by Aberystwyth in midweek. Among the names coming in were new signings Sian Bull and Olivia Barnes.

Barry only needed 43 seconds to break the deadlock, and they did so in stunning fashion. Having been played through by Erin Murray, Ingrid Ådland executed a delicious, looped effort over Charlotte Smith and into the far corner. A blockbuster way to start any game.

The Linnets would dominate possession and deservedly found a second goal in the 19^th minute. Emily Freeman’s inviting delivery found the head of Broadhurst, who nodded in her first goal since her return to Jenner Park. Met rallied back briefly with India Shanahan having a go from a tight angle, but Molly Arnesen made a strong save.

While Arnesen was making fine stops, Smith at the other end had a moment to forget. After being teed up by Ådland, Keira Harris struck a rather tame effort on goal. Originally, Smith got down easily to make the save, but somehow, the ball bobbled over her and snuck over the line. Joy for Barry, but this was becoming a horror show for the Archers.

It seemed for all the while that Met wouldn’t be able to find a route back into the contest. Players began walking around the field, with fuel tanks looking near empty. Barry, on the other hand, were playing with smiles on faces and had a joy about them. It was quickly becoming a question of just how many could Barry score?

However, one Archer who wasn’t going to give in was Beca Thomas, and she powered home from outside the box on the half hour mark to reduce the deficit. In fact, Met began to perk up after the goal and looked like a team who could cause damage to Barry. But they couldn’t find a way through a stout Town defence, and at the break, the hosts held a deserved lead.

Whatever was said in the Met dressing room during the break certainly had an effect, because they came out like a side possessed at the start of the second period. Within ten minutes they pulled one back. After Shanahan was released down the wing, her low cross into the box was turned in by Ruby Colleton. Moments later, Colleton almost returned the favour to Shanahan, but the former Barry forward couldn’t convert the winger’s delivery into the box.

The Archers had Barry on strings, and they simply couldn’t cope with Nash’s side. Shanahan again almost scored an equaliser, but after beating the offside trap expertly, she couldn’t quite curl the ball into the far corner.

Barry hardly tested the Met backline, but in the dying embers, they came out of their shell just enough to relieve pressure. Harris was denied by the onrushing Smith, while the keeper was on hand again to palm Murray’s vicious strike away from danger.

Despite Met looking like a completely different team in the second half, they just couldn’t quite make up for their slow start. Barry, meanwhile, will be relieved, as they continue their push for a top four spot.

Next up for Barry Town is a Thursday night matchup at home to Cardiff City, while Cardiff Met will also be in midweek action, as they host Briton Ferry.

Player of the Match: Ruby Colleton

Honourable mention to Erin Murray, who never stopped running for Barry, but this felt like a big game for Colleton. Met have been crying out for a creative force on the wing, and what we saw today was a player who has grown tremendously in confidence over the last few weeks, and who has the quality to hurt teams.

Barry Town

Molly Arnesen, Holly Jenkins (Lauren Harris 60’), Grace Corne, Erin Murray, Danielle Broadhurst (Amelia Herbert 60’), Keira Harris, Jasmine Turner (Kiara Robins 89’), Emily Freeman © (Carys Bufton 89’), Ingrid Ådland, Ellie Gunney (Sienna Stone 79’), Angharad Beman

Goals: Ingrid Ådland (1’), Danielle Broadhurst (19’), Keira Harris (25’)

Yellows: Holly Jenkins (48’), Grace Corne (57’)

Cardiff Met

Charlotte Smith, Anna Houghton, Number 3 (Sophie Davidson 84’), Sian Bull, Cerys Pinchard ©, Olivia Barnes (Samantha Dziminowicz 84’), Faith Mulenga, Chelsea Cochrane (Summer Kilby 77’), Beca Thomas (Gwenllian Jones 84’), Ruby Colleton (Sally Grimm 72’), India Shanahan

Goals: Beca Thomas (28’), Ruby Colleton (55’)

(Featured Image: John Smith/FAW)