In a week when we lose the management team and several players one of the last teams you want to meet is Barry Town. There were few chances in the first half but two defensive errors and a goal directly from a free kick got the three goals. One positive for us to take out of the game was the display of young James McEvoy who on his debut had what all good footballers seem to have and that is time on the ball and he used it well. James can be pleased with his contribution. 

Carl Payne and Mica Chunuonsee both pulled out injured before the game.
One of our early shots on goal came from Daniel Lancey following a free kick from which Adam Carpenter found Matthew Beynon who laid the ball into Daniel's path, but his shot from the edge of the area was straight at the keeper. Barry had a free kick on 10 minutes which we cleared to Scott McCoubrey who ran 50 yards down the right and crossed into Adam Carpenter who again directed his shot straight at the keeper. Again from a right touchline free kick Rhys Williams passed to Scott McCoubrey who crossed in to Matthew Beynon but a Barry defender just got to it ahead of Matthew. Daniel Lancey beat several players in a left wing dash to win a corner, disappointingly it was too close to the keeper who held it and cleared. 

After 25 minutes Barry won a corner which Scott McCoubrey cleared for a throw, their 10 Jamie Bradford shot from outside the area and it bounced in front of Rory McCreesh making the save more difficult than it would have been. I don't know if that unsettled Rory but minutes later we had a throw on the left which went back to Rory who failed to control the ball and their 9 Zak Misbah had the simple task of running the ball from just inside our area into the goal. Encouraged by this their 11 Dan Marshall tried his luck from the edge of the area but his shot went just over the bar when he should have at least hit the target.

Barry attacked from the off in the second half and Rhys Williams did well to break up the first attack inside the area. On 49 minutes we went two down when Adam Carpenter fouled on the edge of the D in a central position. Their 6 Mike Parkins scored directly from the kick. Rory McCreesh then made a fine double save the first after a bad bobble just in front of him, he spread himself to make the save. We now had a mountain to climb and Remi Whitelock replaced Corey Thomas but Barry were now well on top and they should have made it three on the hour but Misbah headed over from 6 yards. 

Their third goal was another defensive error, we had a free kick on the half way but lost the ball, Shaun Morgan with time miskicked and with 3 Barry players and himself there was only going to be one result, Nicky Jones on his return to the Lido made it three. They kept up the pressure with another former Lido player Atif Bashir becoming more prominent down the right and the defence was under extreme pressure. With a quarter of an hour to go Rory McCreesh again made a fine save from Misbah when he dived to turn his shot away for a corner. Rory again atoned for his error for the first goal when he again thwarted Misbah when he quickly closed him down to make the save.

Lido side: 3-5-2
GK: Rory McCreesh
Def: Rhys Williams, Shaun Morgan, Leigh Shrimpton.
Mid: Scott McCoubrey, Corey Thomas, Paul Lenihan, Adam Carpenter, Daniel Lancey.
For: Matthew Beynon, Sam Wade.

Subs:
12 Remi Whitelock for Corey Thomas 54
14 Aaron Keefe
15 James McEvoy for Adam Carpenter 69
16 Craig Langdon for Matthew Beynon 61
GK Gareth Couch

Att: 145

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Match Report by Peter Reynolds

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