It’s 15 years since Barry Town last lifted the Welsh Premier title and plummeted down the leagues following financial meltdown.
But could the Dragons be about to bring the good times back to Jenner Park? At the turning point in the Welsh Premier season, when the league splits into two sections, Barry sit proudly at the top of the Championship heap, a point above The New Saints and two above Connah’s Quay.
It’s the most competitive the league has been in years, with TNS gunning for their eighth title in a row, but for a change their position at the top is being seriously challenged with both Barry and the Nomads right in the race for the title.
A 2-1 win at home against Aberystwyth Town on Saturday was enough to take Barry to the top, thanks to two early goals from Momodou Touray.
The striker converted from Macaulay Southam-Hales’ cross in the second minute to open the scoring, before doubling the lead from close range on the 20-minute mark.
Rio Ahmadi’s free-kick 12 minutes from time gave the Seasiders hope late on, but they also had Alan Goodall sent off late on for picking up a second booking.
The Dragons climbed above the Nomads, who lost 3-2 after twice throwing away a lead at Carmarthen.
Michael Bakare’s close-range finish had put the Nomads in front, before Greg Walters levelled eight minutes after the restart for Carmarthen.
Bakare found team-mate Callum Morris six minutes later, the midfielder slotting home to restore the Nomads’ lead.
But there were more twists to come as Luke Cummings brought the sides level again on 82 minutes, before injury-time drama saw the Old Gold take all three points when Liam Thomas converted from the penalty to leave the Nomads looking up to Barry at the season’s split.
But don’t write the Saints off yet, they’re still very much the team to beat and have lost one game less in the first half of the season than their title rivals, but since suffering a fourth draw of the season against Bala Town in the middle of December they’ve been in scintillating form banging in 23 goals in five games without conceding any.
A 5-0 win at home to Llandudno on Saturday took them above Connah’s Quay and having beaten the Dragons twice in the first half of the season they will remain confident of securing their 12th Welsh Premier title this year. Barry are gunning for their eighth league championship, while Connah’s Quay are chasing their first having been runners-up in 2016-17.
