Aberystwyth earned their first draw of the season after Harry Franklin’s late equaliser at Jenner Park.
Kayne McLaggon broke the deadlock after an hour, before Franklin headed home from a corner late on to ensure that the points would be shared.
The game was scrappy, with heavy rain in the second half not helping things. A number of fouls by both sides stopped the game from getting any real flow.
After a quiet opening ten minutes, Barry got their first opportunity of the game after being awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, but Cotterill’s low effort was straight at the wall.
Ten minutes later, Aber nearly got an opportunity of their own after a poor touch by Abbruzzese gifted the ball to Jonathan Evans, but the forward was fouled by Abbruzzese before he got the chance to break into the box. Evans was involved in the action again two minutes later, doing well to find space in the box but his shot fizzed past the post.
The away side were in the ascendancy now, and a corner led to a number of shots on goal, but the Barry defence did well to get their bodies in the way.
The opening 15 minutes of the second half saw more excitement than the first half, with both sides getting opportunities. Franklin’s shot from outside the box was well held by Mike Lewis, and John Owen got an opportunity from a tight angle after a great cross by Rimmer, but the angle was too tight and the shot went across the face of goal. The home side’s best opportunity so far fell to Clayton Green. The ball fell to the unmarked midfielder six yards out, but he blasted his effort well over the bar.
The opportunity for Green led to the home side picking up some momentum, and striker Kayne McLaggon made the momentum count. The ball deflected off Marcus Day and fell straight to McLaggon, who fired a low shot past Zabret to open the scoring.
Conceding seemed to wake Aberystwyth up, who then got a flurry of chances just minutes after they fell behind. A corner led to a goal line scramble, but Barry eventually cleared. Veale had an opportunity to score a screamer shortly after, but his drilled shot flew wide of the upright.
In the final five minutes however, the away side did manage to grab an equaliser. Barry’s defence, who had looked shaky in the air all game, failed to deal with a long ball, and eventually it was scuffed out for a corner. Harry Franklin escaped his marker and rose higher than anyone else to nod the corner home.
With time running out, the home side had a flurry of late chances to steal all three points. Nathaniel Jarvis fired wide from the edge of the box, and Zabret was called into action to parry a shot from McLaggon wide. In the dying seconds, Barry were awarded another free-kick on the edge of the box, but Zabret reacted well to parry the shot from Rhys Abbruzzese wide.
After that result, Aberystwyth have stayed in 11th on 10 points, whilst Barry are in 8th on 15 points.
Cymru Premier – Fixtures and Results – 2021/2022 season
Player of the Match
Louis Bradford – Aberystwyth Town
The centre-back was strong in defence, and was calm and composed whenever he was on the ball. When Barry did manage to break Aber’s defence, Bradford retreated well with some last-ditch defending.
Line-ups
Barry Town: Mike Lewis, Luke Cummings, Robbie Patten, Kayne McLaggon (C), Jordan Cotterill (Nathaniel Jarvis 87′), Rhys Kavanagh, Marcus Day (Theo Wharton 80′), Curtis McDonald, Rhys Abbruzzese, Clayton Green, Evan Press
Unused substitutes: Kelland Absalom, Luke Cooper
Goal: Kayne McLaggon 65′
Yellow cards: Rhys Abbruzzese 22, Marcus Day 41′
Aberystwyth Town: Gregor Zabret, Jack Rimmer, Rhys Davies (Sam Phillips 28′), Louis Bradford, Lee Jenkins, Jack Thorn (C) (Steff Davies 79′), Matthew Jones, Jamie Veale, John Owen (Raul Correia 66′), Harry Franklin, Jonathan Evans
Unused substitutes: Alex Pennock, Richie Ricketts, Alex Darlington, Cameron Allen
Goal: Harry Franklin 85′
Yellow cards: Jack Rimmer 11, Rhys Davies 17, Matthew Jones 38′
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