Barry look to continue impressive home form
BARRY Town United welcome Llanelli Town to Jenner Park this evening in the JD Welsh Premier League as they look to continue their perfect home record.
The Dragons have enjoyed a strong start to the season and their home form has been at the heart of it with four wins from four.
League leaders Connah’s Quay Nomads lost 2-0 at Jenner Park on September 1, while Carmarthen Town (1-0), Cefn Druids (2-1) and Bala Town (3-2) have all been left Barry empty-handed, and manager Gavin Chesterfield would like that to continue with the visit of basement boys Llanelli.
“We love playing at home and you have to make your home games count in the JD Welsh Premier League,” said Chesterfield, whose front line will be led by on-loan Newport striker Modou Touray fresh from his Wales U-21 debut.
“Our home form has been excellent and hopefully that can continue.
“Llanelli find themselves in a position where they are near the bottom of the table but I know they have good players and good staff and I’m expecting a very tough game.
“They’ve had some good results this year and they’ve been unlucky in some other games.
“It’s a tough learning curve in this league, it’s a big step up. We know that having made it ourselves last year but I expect a well-organised team.
“I expect a really good game of football, both teams like to get the ball down and play.
“I expect a good crowd and Jenner Park under the lights on a Friday night is a lot to look forward to.”
After finishing seventh on their return to the Welsh top flight last season Chesterfield, who has been at the helm since 2007, is pleased with how his side have pushed on.
“Last year we were new to the league and I think we did ever so well to get to where we did,” he said.
“We fell short in the end in the European play-offs and that was probably about where we were last year.
“This year we’ve had a couple of players move on, we’ve brought a few new players in that have added a bit of experience and quality.
“Also last year we entered the league with three players who had JD Welsh Premier League experience previously.
“And now all my lads have got that experience and look a little bit better for it. Hopefully that will continue in our results.”
Caernarfon Town are also in action tonight as they host Newtown at The Oval.
The Canaries are unbeaten in four but have drawn their last three games while Newtown will look to return to winning ways following last weekend’s defeat to Bala Town.
The action continues tomorrow with a top-of-the-table clash at Park Hall between The New Saints and Connah’s Quay the stand-out fixture.
TNS have claimed the league title for the last seven years but currently trail Connah’s Quay, who beat them 1-0 earlier in the season, by two points so a home loss for Scott Ruscoe’s men would open up a big gap.
In other action, Bala take on Carmarthen Town, who are winless in five games, at Richmond Park.
Cardiff Met will hope to make it back-to-back wins when they travel to The Rock to face Cefn Druids while Llandudno and Aberystwyth Town clash at the Giant Hospitality Stadium.
■ Connah’s Quay Nomads will be heading to Hampden Park in the quarter-finals of the IRN-BRU Cup.
The Nomads, who defeated Irish side Coleraine 2-0 in the third round last weekend, will now go up against Scottish League Two club Queen’s Park with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
The tie is scheduled to take place over the weekend of 17/18 November.
Queen’s Park defeated TNS on penalties in round two.