Barry Town duo depart

WITH the suspension of JD Cymru Premier football having no clear end in sight, Barry Town's two loan signings have departed Jenner Park, with midfielder Sam Bowen and goalkeeper Josh Gould returning to Cardiff City and Swansea City, respectively.

Bowen, who turned 20 last week, featured seven times in his three-month Barry stint, debuting in October's goalless draw with champions Connah's Quay Nomads, before November's national firebreak saw the team's fixtures temporarily halted.

On resumption, the spritely Wales U19 international began to make his mark, scoring in the Town's successive home victories over Flint Town United and Cefn Druids, before the latest lockdown brought his Jenner Park spell to a premature close.

Josh Gould returns to Swansea City after only three appearances

The son of former Cardiff City forward Jason Bowen, Sam returned to the Bluebirds' U23 squad in their 4-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic, with the professional status held by Cardiff, Swansea, Newport County and Wrexham allowing such fixtures to continue.

Gould's appearances in a Barry shirt were limited to three starts, the 6' 4'' stopper featuring in those wins against Flint and Druids, as well as December's 2-0 defeat at Caernarfon Town.

With Swans boss Steve Cooper moving to sign experienced Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Ben Hamer, in the wake of the injury to first choice Steven Benda, 23-year old Gould is expected to be loaned out elsewhere in the English pyramid.

The JD Cymru Premier season was stopped on December 21st, despite top flight football continuing through Christmas in the English, Scottish and Northern Irish systems.

At the pause in play, Gavin Chesterfield's Barry were sitting fourth on 24 points; a chasmic eleven behind third-placed Bala Town, but two clear of Caernarfon, with a game in hand.

Barry's back-to-back meetings with sixth-placed Penybont were among the first fixtures postponed, with Rhys Griffiths' team trailing Town by three points, with two games spare.

Perennial pacesetters The New Saints and Andy Morrison's Nomads head the table on 44 and 41 points respectively, with the thirteen-time winners having played one more than the current Cymru League kingpins.

A statement of intent for their latest title bid, Saints recently broke their transfer record to sign Llantwit striker Adam Roscrow from EFL League One outfit AFC Wimbledon.

Roscrow and Barry forward Kayne McLaggon were the two Wales C goalscorers in their 2-2 draw against England at Salford City's Peninsula Stadium in March 2019.

The former Cardiff Met marksman was then linked with a move to Jenner Park that summer, yet would sign with the Dons instead, making 17 substitute appearances, as well as five starts.

Barry still have six games remaining in this season's Phase One schedule and while common sense suggests Phase Two of the league could be abandoned entirely, it remains to be seen what form the rest of the campaign will take, should clubs get the green light to play.

With no news on the fate of the Welsh Cup and the Nathaniel MG Cup hitting the skids after just one weekend of action, a run of six to eight matchdays this spring to complete an abridged, 22-game Cymru Premier might be viewed as a best-case scenario.