FLASHBACK – April Fools’ Day 25 years ago: Nigel Barry hits winner as Porthmadog beat Holywell

FLASHBACK – 25 YEARS AGO

CYMRU ALLIANCE LEAGUE – APRIL 1, 2000

Porthmadog 2 (A Owen 67, Barry 72)
Holywell Town 1 (Hill 43)

Report: Mr Gareth Williams

On this date 25 years ago Bangor football legend Nigel Barry was Porthmadog’s hero as he scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Holywell.

Port were seeking a league double over the Wellmen having won 3-0 at Halkyn Road six months earlier.

In the return at Y Traeth, little of note happened in the first half and the game bore all the hallmarks of a meaningless end of season encounter.

Then as often happens the team which enjoys territorial advantage – in this case Port – are made to pay for their lack of penetration.

After 43 minutes Holywell launched the ball over the static home defence for Ryan Hill to race on unopposed and coolly place the ball past Kenny Dixon in the Port goal.

In the first half Holywell had been well served by their solid defence in which Murray, Sheil and former Port player Paul Osohan were prominent.

Port came out in the second-half showing more determination and purpose and after two minutes Alan Jones, who had replaced Gareth Caughter, came close with a near post header.

Another header, this time by Viv Williams, after 57, was diverted for a corner.

Then came Port’s best period of the game with Dafydd Evans and Nigel Barry now dominant and controlling the midfield.

After 67 minutes Evans went on a good run from midfield and fed the ball inside to Adrian Owen, who broke his barren spell in fr4ont of goal with a fine 20-yard drive into the roof of the net.

With the scores level Holywell continued to threaten but mainly by means of counter-attacks. From one of these it took a fine Banks tackle after 72 minutes to prevent a goal.

Soon after the persistent Barry worked the ball out to Viv Williams on the right and he sent a low cross which was met by Barry again. This time Barry looked up and lobbed the ball over Whitehead, in the Holywell goal from 18 yards.

This goal secured, what had seemed at one time, an unlikely victory for the home side.

A game which had been for long periods dull and unimaginative, produced three goals worthy of a better occasion.

Porthmadog

Dixon, Harrison, Stuart Williams, Banks, Flower, Webber, Evans, Barry, Caughter (A Jones) (E Jones), Viv Williams, Owen.

Holywell

Whitehead, P.Langley, Murray, Osahan, Sheil, Savage, Parry, Taylor, Hill, Scully, Sheenan. Subs: Bushell, Poole, K Langley.

What happened next?

Porthmadog finished fifth in the Cymru Alliance in 1999-2000, while Holywell ended up 16th, narrowly avoiding relegation.