ABERYSTWYTH Town earned a point to climb off the bottom of the JD Welsh Premier League table as they were held to a goalless draw by Barry Town United at Park Avenue on Saturday.

Both teams missed good opportunities to win the game in the second half, but the game ended in stalemate as the sides settled for a point.

Aber manager Nev Powell made one change to the starting line-up from Tuesday’s Nathaniel MG Cup defeat to Airbus UK Broughton, with John Owen replacing Cledan Davies, which meant Mathew Jones started at left back for the first time in his Black and Greens’ career.

Both sides had started cautiously, with the game lacking any real rhythm through the first 15 minutes. Barry came closest to opening the scoring on 16 minutes, as Chris Mullock somehow pulled off an instinctive point-blank save from Kayne Mclaggon’s close range shot.

Top scorer Mclaggon was forced off through injury shortly afterwards for the visitors, and Macauley Southam fired a long-range effort over the bar for the visitors.

The Seasiders continued to struggle to get any threatening attacking play going, with Ryan Wade shooting well wide of the post on separate occasions. The half time whistle could not come soon enough for the 278 spectators at Park Avenue.

The first 15 minutes of the second half again proved to be uninspiring for the neutrals, as both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances.

On 60 minutes, Aber’s midfield maestro Malcolm Melvin, and soon after striker Craig Hobson, were introduced in place of Ryan Wollacott and Joe Phillips, with manager Neville Powell looking to introduce some fresh impetus into his side.

The Seasiders began to crank up their pressure on the visitors’ rear guard, as Ryan Wade shot straight at Barry keeper Mike Lewis, before Hobson almost converted an in-swinging Ashley Young free kick.

Barry themselves continued to look dangerous on the counter attack, with the pace of wide men Tyrrell Webbe and Drew Fahiya.

On 87 minutes, however, Aber again came close to making the breakthrough as Hobson headed Wade’s cross into the side-netting.

Aber looked for one last chance as the game headed into three minutes of added time, and they very nearly found the winner in the dying seconds as right back Declan Walker brought the ball down and fired a low shot towards goal, only for it to hit the outside of the post.

ABERYSTWYTH: C Mullock, D Walker, J Spittle, R Wollacott (M Melvin 60 minutes), J Owen, L Borrelli, R Wade, M Jones, A Young, J McKenna, J Phillips (C Hobson 70 minutes). Substitutes not used: J Culshaw, J Rimmer, H Horwood, L Jenkins, L Doherty.

BARRY TOWN: M Lewis, P Morgan, L Cooper, C Watkins, C Hugh, D Fahiya, J Saddler, T Greening, M Southam, T Webbe (C Sainty 74), K McLaggon (L Gerrard 26). Subs not used: R Evans, S Jones, M George, J Massaro (gk).Attendance: 278. Referee: Mark Petch.Read manager Neville Powell's reaction in this week's Aberystwyth edition.