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| Swansea 1 v 1 Barry |
by Phil Blanche - Western Mail
Tony Bird spared Swansea City FAW Premier Cup blushes with a last-gasp equaliser at the Vetch Field last night.
Former Barry striker, Bird, denied his old club three precious points 45 seconds into stoppage time with a stooping header from Jonathan Coates’s corner.
Bird’s leveller was cruel on a resilient Barry unit that had lost defensive linchpin Andrew York seven minutes from time.
York was carried from the field on a stretcher and his absence proved costly as Barry lost the chance to take a firm hold on Group B.
The League of Wales champions had already beaten cup-holders Wrexham 3-2 at Jenner Park in their opening fixture, and were again keen to display their ability against Football League opposition.
Despite losing striker Eifion Williams – voted Wales’s club player of the year on Monday – to illness, just before the kick-off, Barry made a sensational start to revive memories of their 2-1 victory here in the same comp etition 12 months ago.
Swansea had vowed to stop lightning striking twice but they had not bargained for a third-minute thunderbolt from Gary Lloyd. Kristian O’Leary felled Justin Perry on the edge of the penalty area and Llanelli-born Lloyd – a former Swansea target – drilled the free-kick past the helpless Roger Freestone.
Barry threatened again when ex-Swan Richard Jones reached the by-line and his cross was squirted wide by Perry.
When Swansea did press forward, the impressive centre-back pairing of York and Lee Barrow were watertight, although Mark Dempsey’s slip left Barry exposed.
Damian Lacey strode forward to let fly from 20 yards but Northern Ireland Under-21 goalkeeper David Wells was equal to the task.
Wells denied Aiden Newhouse and Bird either side of the break but Barry’s passing game began to disintegrate as Swansea pressure took its toll.
Matthew Bound headed over from close range and the Swansea skipper went even closer from another Coates corner in the 64th minute.
Bound rose highest among a posse of players but his firm header from 12 yards struck the Barry crossbar.
Three bookings – Lacey, Bound and Newhouse – were evidence of Swansea’s growing frustration until Bird popped up to pinch a point before a crowd of 1,270.
Bird said, “It’s always nice to play against your old club and even better to score, particularly as it was such an important goal.
“They gave us a lot of problems in the first half but we did a lot better after the break and I thought we deserved a point.”
The result leaves Barry top of Group B on goal difference from Swansea with Wrexham third and Caernarfon Town propping up the table.
Swansea City: Freestone; Jones, Clode, Lacey, O’Leary, Bound, Roberts, (Casey 82), Jenkins, Bird, Newhouse (Davies 64), Coates. Sub not used: Phillips.
Barry Town: Wells; Evans, Lloyd, Jones, York, (Davies 83), Barrow, Barnett, Carter, Perry, Mitchell, Dempsey. Subs not used: Shone, Pridham.
Referee: K Morris (Montgomery).
Attendance: 1,270.