Barry 1-0 Guilsfield
Jenner Park, Barry / JD Welsh Cup Round 3 / Saturday 11 November 2023
Barry Town booked a place in the last sixteen of the Welsh Cup thanks to a 94th minute match-winner against Guilsfield from substitute Sam Snaith.
Breaking down the right, Kayne McLaggon’s cross saw Snaith get ahead of his marker to volley the ball home from close range.
Saturday’s match was the first ever meeting between the two sides, with Barry hosting the mid-Wales club, who are currently sixth in Cymru North, a division below the home side.
It was a stronger Barry side than recent weeks, with defenders Chris Hugh and Curtis McDonald returning from injury to start the game.
Hugh had the game’s first real chance, his seventeenth minute shot from the left cannoning back off the post.
At the other end, Guilsfield’s Andy Evans was proving a handful, heading one chance over the bar and forcing Barry ‘keeper Luc Rees into action with another effort.
Although dominating first half possession, Barry failed to find the net. The best chances before the break fell to Ollie Hulbert and Jamie Veale, but both were saved by visiting keeper, Robbie Williams.
In the second half, Barry’s first chance again came to Chris Hugh. Jordan Cotterill laid the ball back for Hugh to shoot, but his effort went over the bar.
Barry then hit the woodwork for a second time. From a corner, a Callum Sainty shot took a deflection and hit the bar. The attack continued until an acrobatic effort from McLaggon was saved by the ‘keeper.
Guilsfield also had their chances, with Evans again shooting from distance and Izaack Lambert seeing his header saved by Rees.
The visitors have won on penalties three times this season and, with time ticking away, they seemed to accept a goal-less draw and were preparing for spot kicks.
Then came McLaggon’s cross, and Snaith’s match-winning goal.
Barry travel to Caernarfon Town on Sunday for an away match at the fifth placed club in the Cymru Premier.