Barry angry over Top Six replay

FAW

Barry Town United say they're deeply disappointed by the Cymru Premier's decision to replay a crucial game in the race for a top six finish.

Steve Jenkins' men climbed back into the top half of the table following Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Haverfordwest County at Jenner Park.

But Bala Town's game at Connah's Quay Nomads was abandoned after 62 minutes due to dense fog, with the Lakesiders - the only other team in contention for sixth place - trailing 3-0.

The FAW's National Leagues Board voted in favour to replay the game in full on Friday night, following an emergency meeting.

In a statement on Wednesday, the governing body said: "In line with Cymru Premier Rule 20.1, the NLB considered both options available to them: ordering the match to stand completed as a 3-0 win for Connah’s Quay Nomads – the scoreline at the time of the match abandonment – or replaying the full period of ninety (90 minutes)."

"While recognising the extremely difficult and unique circumstances for all clubs impacted, with no solution likely to appease all parties, the NLB concluded that with 28 minutes plus any additional time still to play in the fixture, multiple variables could have occurred in that time frame and therefore the scoreline should not stand as completed."

"This is consistent with previous decisions with regards to previous abandoned matches."

Barry have called on the FAW to reconsider their decision, claiming the concept of sporting intergrity had been "ignored and dumped".

A club spokesperson said: "This has been the most exciting conclusion to phase one of the league in many years, with five clubs playing on the final day of the final three places in the league's Championship Conference , a top six place with an automatic European play-off place and no threat of relegation."

"Instead of a competitive conclusion to those 22 matches, we now have a single match in which one club has the advantage of knowing beforehand how they can succeed above other clubs, and their opponents objectively now have less reason to play competitively, knowing that they can no longer reach a top six placing."

The statement added: "The concept of sporting integrity which was so integral last week to the FAW, Barry and other clubs rescheduling matches to play together on the final day has been ignored and dumped, which goes against our beliefs as a club."

"At a time when the FAW are keen to showcase the benefits and advantages of Cymru Premier membership, this is in our opinion a very poor decision that reflects badly on the Welsh pyramid by creating an unfair sense of advantage, rather than a level playing field."

"We call on the FAW to reconsider their decision."

The move comes just days after Barry denied FAW claims that the 12 Cymru Premier clubs that had given their full backing to a revamped Welsh League Cup, which would include the four Welsh teams in the EFL.

A club spokesperson added: "We'd like to place on record our thanks to our manager, staff and players who have worked so hard to achieve their set objectives in phase one and now see this opportunity taken our of their hands."

Bro Radio News has contacted the FAW for a response.

Do you have a local news story? Email news@broradio.fm

 

 

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