Barry Town United boss Gavin Chesterfield feels that “2018 has been an excellent one” despite seeing his side fall to a 3-0 defeat to Cardiff Met to end the year.
The result ended the run of four successive wins but sees the Linnets go into 2019 behind Connah’s Quay Nomads in the top flight.
The two sides faced off in a Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve double header, and Met secured a vital victory over their rivals to end the year.
Goals from Charlie Corsby, Adam Roscrow and Eliot Evans secured the Met’s third consecutive home win over Barry Town and Chesterfield had nothing but praise for the victors.
“We’ve run a race but listen truth be told I think the better team won today but I’m not exactly going to have a go at my lads.” He said. “I think they have been magnificent for not just this season but if you look at it the tailing-off of last year as well, as far as the year goes 2018 has been an excellent one.”
“I’d say that Cardiff Met for the first sort of twenty-five, thirty minutes maybe a little bit longer than that were the better team, I think they started really well but it shows the fine margins in football we concede a sloppy goal, a penalty decision go against us, you’ve seen them given.”
Chesterfield stated that they changed their system for the second period, and believed his side had a way back into the game, but were made to rue their missed opportunity.
“Second half we changed the system, I think the boys have done really well for the first twenty minutes of the half, we miss a one on one at 1-0 that could change the game for us and then people were gravitating towards the end and I thought Cardiff Met came on strong in the game but we were gambling a little bit then and the game was probably gone.”
Barry had a penalty claim turned down during the match. But, the manager has insisted that he believed the referee made the right call regarding the McLaggon penalty claim.
“I’ve got to trust the referee I have seen them given, I have seen them not given. He was closer I trust in his decision.”
With two games left to play in the first period, Chesterfield’s men now go to the Rock before ending the season at home to Aberystwyth Town and Chesterfield feels that his team can continue to finish where they left off.
“All we can do now is concentrate on the next game just got to show that stability to bounce back against a good Cefn Druids team, the hope is that we continue to do what we have all year.”
“That’s the hope, but let’s give credit to those teams, Cefn Druids excellent team particularly at home they strengthened well in the summer and probably finding themselves getting back up to full strength so I know Huw (Griffiths) will have them hugely organised, tough place to go but a challenge we look forward to.
“Then the same with Aberystwyth Nev’s (Powell) done a great job there and they
are knocking on the door of the top six as well so two really good challenges for us and one we look forward to”.
As 2018 has drawn to an end, Chesterfield feels that his side can go into 2019 with the same mentality and is looking forward to seeing where the team can go from here.
“We’ve grown a lot, we’ve grown a lot as club both on and off the field, the players have grown a lot. We’ve improved the squad you know we’ve won far more games than anybody would have thought.”
“We find ourselves in the position at the moment competing with teams that in reality you know they got far bigger resources than us but that’s football, that’s sport.”
(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)
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