Cardiff City 1-0 Barry Town Utd

Barry Town Utd Women went into their final fixture of 2022 with the prospect of travelling to run-away Adran Premier leaders, Cardiff City Women.

With the recent freezing temperatures, the match was in doubt on the morning of the game, but the Leckwith pitch passed a late pitch inspection. The previous meeting at Jenner Park earlier in the season resulted in a 3-0 win for the Bluebirds.

Barry made a number of enforced changes to their team line-up with influential captain, Luaren Harris currently injured and a number of players being unavailable. Under 19 captain, Rhian Thomas came into the team at centre back with Pheonix Phillips also making her first start for the first team in midfield.

The visitors frustrated their hosts for the majority of the first half, sitting back denying space between the midfield and defensive units, however Pheobie Poole had a number of efforts at goal, all saved by the excellent stand-in captain Erin Brennan in the Barry goal. Conditions made the game difficult for both sets of players and the rain started to fall midway through the first half. Phillips had an effort from distance that went wide and Manon Pearce played a neat one-two with Mackenzie Olden but the ball got stuck under her feet as she got into shooting range. Poole came closest for Cardiff in the first half with an effort that came off the crossbar, but the score remained 0-0 going into the break.

What followed in the second half can only be called a farce as torrential rain hammered down onto the pitch and within minutes of the restart, the pitch was waterlogged in several areas. Both teams were struggling to string any passes together of note as the ball continued to hold up, and it felt it was only a matter of time before the game would be abandoned.

The referee however let the game continue, Brennan made a number of smart saves low down and Olden almost scored for Barry when a long range effort slipped under Ceryn Chamberlain in the Cardiff goal but the ball just avoided the goal and went out for a corner. As the game seemed to be heading for an inevitable draw with the conditions, the Bluebirds finally got the breakthrough in the last minute of normal time. Substitute, Megan Saunders latched onto a pass in the area before rounding Brennan and slotting home to give the home side a vital three points in their quest for the league title.

It was cruel on a young Barry team who had 12 players aged 19 or younger in their line-up but the team can be immensely proud with their efforts and will look to take the many positives from this game into 2023.

Following the game, Barry manager Sean Wharton commented, "I am really proud of the players for what they achieved today. We surpassed a lot of people's expectations and showed that we are heading in the right direction. I have been really impressed with the players attitude and desire to improve and look forward to the new year where we will aim to keep on moving forwards."