Barry Town kicked off 2024 in style with a convincing 4-0 win over Newtown in the JD Cymru Premier at Jenner Park.

The dominant performance against the fourth placed Robins was led by an unlikely double and an assist from Ben Blythe. Sam Snaith and Ollie Hulburt also secured places on the scoresheet as the Town cruised to victory in Steve Jenkins’ absence.

Blythe opened his account for the Town on 18 minutes with a Rhys Davies cross trickling across the six-yard box for the Swansea loanee to smartly find the bottom corner.

The centre-back completed his brace from a Barry corner with a powerful header. A Jamie Veale corner had the centre-back rising highest to double the hosts’ lead.

Snaith was able to seal three points for the Town inside the hour mark, another Veale corner finding the Town striker to take his goal tally to two goals in two league starts. The 23-year-old’s first league start since August 19.

Ollie Hulburt rubbed salt in the wound when he added a 71^st minute winner. After threatening breaking the line of defence throughout the match, he eventually made it count, slotting home Blythe’s through ball for 4-0.

After a stretched opening few minutes, Ollie Hulburt beat the offside trap with Callum Sainty showing great vision from the back, the Town striker could only force a corner with a good save from Andrew Wycherley.

It was déjà vu for Hulburt ten minutes later. A ball over the top allowed the 21-year-old to demonstrate his burst in acceleration, denied by a brilliant Wycherley save.

Newtown’s chances were few and far between although a looping cross had Louis Robles testing Luc Rees able to make a comfortable save.

Aiden Lewis was given a golden opportunity to double the Town’s lead late in the first half when he intercepted a misplaced goal kick, spraying his effort from outside the box.

League top goalscorer, Aaron Williams had a chance to reduce the deficit in the second half when the ball fell from the sky on the penalty spot. Getting his technique all wrong, the Newtown striker couldn’t find the target.

Despite running riot so freely throughout, Barry couldn’t secure a fifth despite continuing to push in late minutes. A darting run from Mike George down the right-wing found Keenan Patten in an unlikely position in the box but he couldn’t beat the Robins’ ‘keeper.

Barry Town United: Rees, Press ©, Sainty, Blythe, Davies (Hugh 85’), Patten, Veale, Lewis (Tomlinson 52’), Hulburt (Huggins 85’), Snaith (McLaggon 78’).

Subs not used: Tucker, Greening, Sylvester.

Newtown: Wycherley, Sears, Mills-Evans (Hughes 78’), Sutton ©, R. Evans, Robles, Ismael (Boakye 65’), Williams, Cowans, Jones, D. Smith.

Subs not used: Ussher, Sharp, C. Smith, Downs, Taylor.

Goals: Blythe 19’, 43’, Snaith 59’, Hulburt 71’.

Yellow Cards: Patten 82’. Cowans 50’, D. Smith 58’.

Barry 2-6 The New Saints

Jenner Park, Barry / JD Cymru Premier / Saturday 21 October 2023

Attendance: 340

The scoreline shows that Barry were well beaten by league leaders, The New Saints, but the match itself had a different feel.

After an hour, Barry had equalised to make it 1-1, but the professional side turned the screws and
scored five in a second half similar to Barry’s 6-0 win over Porthcawl last week.

In a frenetic start, the first chance came to Barry after less than thirty seconds, Keenan Patten firing
narrowly over the bar with a shot outside the box.

At the other end, goalkeeper Luc Rees pushed away an on target effort from Gary Brobbel.

Brobbel hit the post before Saints took a 20th minute lead. A Barry corner was cleared and Brad Young ran the length of the pitch before scoring past Rees. A frustrating goal to concede.

Rees was again on top form in saving from Young a few minutes later.

Just after an hour, Barry levelled. This time, TNS failed to clear a near post corner and it bounced across the box for Ollie Hulbert to head in.

Sadly, that scoreline lasted only five minutes as Brobbel’s free-kick was headed in unchallenged by Danny Davies at the near post.

Suddenly, the ball found itself within the Barry six yard box with uncomfortably frequency, the Saints scoring four goals in a 15 minute spell.

Brad Young scored the third and Josh Daniels the fourth, both goal poaching within the six yard box as Barry failed to clear their lines.

A cross from Adrian Cieslewicz was turned into his own net by Barry defender Troy Greening as he tried to clear, while Young scored his hat-trick with the sixth goal.

Barry gained some consolation, with Hulbert’s 93rd minute header crossing the line, from Harrison Bright’s cross.

Barry now face two crunch Cymru Premier matches, Colwyn Bay away next Saturday then Aberystwyth at home on Saturday, 4th November.

Barry 2-0 Pontypridd

Jenner Park, Barry / JD Cymru Premier / Tuesday 17 October 2023

Attendance: 371

A dominant Barry performance saw them take revenge over the club of former boss, Lee Kendall.

The home side were in charge of the game from the start, with hometown boy, captain Kayne McLaggon, making his 200th appearance in a Barry shirt since signing in 2017.

McLaggon almost opened the scoring in the sixth minute, his blistering effort from the edge of the box being pushed onto the bar by Ponty ‘keeper, George Ratcliffe.

It was a busy night for Ratcliffe, probably the best ‘keeper in the Cymru Premier, who played on loan at Barry in 2019.

Barry opened the scoring in the 13th minute. McLaggon and Hulbert created space on the left for a low cross. Keenan Patten dummied the shot and then Harrison Bright steamed in at the far post to shoot low past Ratcliffe.

The second goal came on the half-hour. A corner from the Barry left was inexplicably handled by Jarrad Wright and immediately given as a penalty.

McLaggon’s penalty was saved by Ratcliffe as he dived to his left, but he could only parry, leaving Kayne to put the ball into an open net.

At the start of the second half, a low cross from Rhys Davies was almost met by Jamie Veale, but he couldn’t direct the shot towards goal, while Ratcliffe pulled off two saves from both Patten and
McLaggon.

It could have been 3-0 in the 81st minute, with Mike George and Hulbert setting up McLaggon, but his final touch took the ball wide.

With eight minutes of second half injury time played, Barry boss Steve Jenkins was pleased when his side not just won the match, but kept a clean sheet with it.

Although out of the Cymru Premier relegation zone, Barry’s bounceback faces a tough challenge in leader leaders The New Saints on Saturday (2:30pm kick off). The clubs drew 2-2 at Oswestry earlier in the season.

Cardiff Metropolitan University 2-1 Barry Town

Cyncoed Campus, Cardiff / JD Cymru Premier / Friday 6 October 2023

Attendance: 402

A first ever senior Barry Town goal for Callum Higgins gave fans hope for a late comeback, but Barry were beaten 2-1 by Cardiff Met at Cyncoed last Friday night.

Barry now face three home games in a week as they look to improve their season – at home to Porthcawl Town in the Welsh Cup, then Pontypridd on Tuesday 17th (7:45pm) and champions, TNS on Saturday, 21st (2:30pm).

Steve Jenkins’s injury list increased with midfielder Jamie Veale ruled out of last Friday’s game, one of six players missing from the starting line-up.

Barry keeper Luc Rees did well to turn Elliott Evans’s free-kick onto the post early in the game. There were chances at both ends after 15 minutes. Aiden Lewis’s low shot from the edge of the box forced a save from Met keeper Alex Lang, but Met broke quickly, and Rees was quick off his line to stop Tom Vincent from shooting.

Barry’s best chance of the first half came after 33 minutes, when Harrison Bright’s ball down the right saw Ollie Hulbert outpace his marker, but his shot went into the side netting.

Met took the lead at the start of the second half. Vincent headed down for Elliott Evans to ghost between two Barry defenders and his left footed shot from the edge of the box gave Rees no chance.

The hosts made it 2-0 after 55 minutes. Met’s Lewis Rees managed to slide his pass behind the Barry defence and a first time effort from Harry Owen hit the back of the net.

Barry pressed at the other end, with chances falling to Jordan Cotterrill and Keenan Patten.

They eventually made a breakthrough in injury time when Ben Blythe’s cross from the left was netted by substitute Huggins from close range, but it was too late to change the outcome.

Barry 0-3 Caernarfon

Jenner Park, Barry / JD Cymru Premier / Saturday 30 September 2023

Attendance: 471

Barry will feel a little bruised and disappointed with themselves as a clinical Caernarfon Town brushed them aside at Jenner Park.

Playing their third tough Cymru Premier game in a week, Steve Jenkins had to shuffle his side again due to injury, with Luc Rees making a competitive debut replacing Mike Lewis in goal, and three first choice defenders missing.

Barry’s best chance of the match came after 20 minutes when the visitors struggled with clearing a corner and Harrison Bright’s cross across the face of goal was almost poked home by Kayne McLaggon.

The Caernarfon opener came out of the blue after 27 minutes. A long ball into the box wasn’t cleared and Zack Clarke teed himself up at the edge of the penalty area before lashing past Rees in the Barry goal.

Barry could have equalised when Caernarfon’s defenders misjudged their own free-kick, but despite the presence of McLaggon, Ollie Hulbert and Keenan Patten, they couldn’t punish the mistake.

Caernarfon doubled their lead just before half-time. Again the ball into the box should have been cleared but a slip by Mike George was costly, allowing Marc Williams time to advance and shoot past Rees.

The visitors nearly scored a third early in the second half, but Luc Rees made an excellent double save from Adam Davies, who won the header from a corner, and was again first to the ball when Rees parried it away.

Sadly the third goal came from a Barry mistake. With Barry taking a quick free-kick, it was Caernarfon’s Marc Williams who reacted first and headed towards goal, allowing him to square the ball for Davies to finish from close range and make it 3-0.

Barry travel to face Cardiff Met on Friday night (7:45pm kick off) and then host Porthcawl Town at Jenner Park in the Welsh Cup on Saturday, 14 October (2pm kick off).