Report: Barry Town United 2 – 0 Airbus UK

by Dan Cope

BARRY Town United climbed back to the top of the JD Welsh Premier league with an impressive 2-0 victory over Airbus UK.

A penalty from Kayne McLaggon and a late goal from Drew Fahiya were the difference for Gavin Chesterfield’s side.

Airbus started positively and nearly took the lead early on when a through ball from Matt Sargent found Jordan Evans whose shot whistled wide of the post.

However, the Dragons soon found their rhythm and were unlucky not to take the lead inside ten minutes, when Newport County loanee Momodou Touray’s curling effort almost found the bottom corner of Lewis Hall’s goal.

Chesterfield’s men continued to press and came close once more when Keyon Reffell’s low drive hit the side netting. Minutes later, playmaker Sion Spence charged forwards and his thunderous shot struck the post inside the half hour mark. Barry kept pushing for the opening goal with forwards Kayne McLaggon and Touray both causing problems for Steve O’Shaughnessy’s defence but Town still failed to find the net.

Despite Barry’s dominance, the Wingmakers missed a great opportunity to take the lead on the stroke of half time when Jake Phillips whipped in a beautiful cross for Andy Owens. Owens scored twice against Newtown last weekend, but he glanced his header wide of George Ratcliffe in the Barry Town goal to keep the score at 0-0 going into half-time.

Barry started the second half slowly and were nearly punished as a result, an Airbus corner found the Wingmakers’ target man Owens whose header produced a magnificent save from Wales U21 international Ratcliffe.

As Town grew into the second half, they were awarded a penalty by referee Cheryl Foster when tricky forward McLaggon weaved his way into the box before being brought down. McLaggon then stepped up and slotted the penalty home, sending Hall the wrong to give Barry the lead after 55 minutes.

Airbus responded well after going 1-0 down and started to create chances and they’re persistence almost paid off when a Jake Phillips free kick was flicked on by Owens and a header from Airbus captain Stephen Tomassen rattled the crossbar. Barry hit the post themselves soon after. Rhys Abbruzzese’s deep corner was met by the leaping Evan Press whose header bounced back off the post, much to a helpless Lewis Hall’s delight.

Barry wrapped the game up in the 90th minute after a quick breakaway. Touray played a defence splitting through ball into the path of full back Abbruzzese who floated a terrific cross in which was clawed away by Lewis Hall, straight into the path of substitute Drew Fahiya who tapped the ball into the open net to give Barry all three points.