Barry Town have their sights set on European football as they look to finish their first season back in the JD Welsh Premier League in style.
The Dragons have made an impressive return in the top-flight following promotion last summer but are now two games away from returning to Europe for the first time in 15 years.
Gavin Chesterfied’s men earned a respectable seventh place finish in a campaign in which they never looked like becoming embroiled in a relegation scrap. This weekend they make the short trip to Cyncoed, where they will fellow European hopefuls Cardiff Met in the league’s Europa League play-off semi-final – the winners will then face Cefn Druids next weekend.
Barry Town face a Cardiff Met side who were left heartbroken after losing to Bangor City in last season’s play-off final and Christian Edwards’ side now have a second bite of the cherry.
“We stood and applauded Bangor for their victory but inwardly it hurt and it hurt like mad, and going into the dressing room we said we wanted that feeling for ourselves,” reflected Edwards. “Every training session this year we’ve tried to be better than we were the previous session and in each game we’ve tried to better, and I think every single player has done that through the course of the season and I believe it will come to fruition on the weekend.”
To do so, the Students must overcome a Barry Town outfit who have hit a purple patch of form in Phase 2 of the season, winning eight and drawing two of their final 10 game matches.
“It’s a local derby against Barry and each team wants bragging rights so it’s important we approach it in that way. I think Gavin (Chesterfield) will be selling the same story to his players and I just think it’s about the team who’re calm and collected on the day and execute their game plan that will come out as winners,” said Christian Edwards.
“We’re probably not the favourites, as they finished sixth and we finished seventh, so on paper they’re better than us, but the game isn’t played on paper and it’s a big South Wales Derby where anything can happen.
“The players know each other inside out, as the core of both teams is filled with players who have been with their sides since the Welsh Division Three days and have come all the way up to the JD Welsh Premier League. They’ve basically followed each other up the leagues to this point, with promotions year after year, and there is a real rivalry there because of how close the two sides are,” he added.
If Cardiff Met are to repeat the feat of reaching the Play-Off final then they will need to pay close attention to Barry Town’s main goal-threat Kayne McLaggon. McLaggon has enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Welsh Premier League, scoring 12 WPL goals despite suffering with injury. The striker says Barry are slight underdogs in what should be an entertaining derby fixture.
“We’re probably not the favourites, as they finished sixth and we finished seventh, so on paper they’re better than us, but the game isn’t played on paper and it’s a big south Wales derby where anything can happen,” he said.
“We’ve got to approach it as any other game, but obviously there are huge consequences to winning and losing. It is a massive game, a derby, so we’ve got to make sure that the intensity is there because I know it will be from their side, we’ll prepare as normal but we’ve got to make sure we’re right up for it on Saturday.
“Both teams like to play football the right way, it will be a great game for the spectator, I’m sure. There are a lot of similarities between the two sides, a lot of students in both teams so they’ve got that rivalry from University football, too, but I don’t think there are two sides in the league who know each other better – there is a real rivalry there between both teams, as well.”
Admission at the Cyncoed Campus for Cardiff City fans with a valid season ticket is just £1. Sgorio are also broadcasting the game live with kick-off at 5.15, Saturday.