Barry Town United’s Erin Murray certainly had a game to remember in the last round of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup.
With Barry 2-1 down at half-time away at Caldicot Town, goalkeeper Molly Arnesen got herself sent off two minutes after the restart. With no keeper on the bench, the number one jersey was up for grabs, and it was forward Murray who claimed it.
“Seeing Molly get sent off wasn’t great because she’s been a real standout player for us this season,” Murray says. “There were a few of us who put our names forward to go in goal, but I heard our assistant shout my name from the sideline, so I knew I was just going to have to go in!
“I’ve never played in goal before, but when I was at Cardiff Met, I always tried to get Yzzy Taylor to put me in goal, but she would never have any of it! I’ve always had a lot of admiration for goalkeepers but playing that second half was nerve-wracking.”
Keira Harris drew Barry level, but unable to find a winner, the game went to penalties. Murray is used to stepping up from 12 yards, but in between the sticks, she remarkably made two saves to help her side progress.
“It was obviously the complete opposite situation to what I’m normally used to, and I must say, it was far more terrifying being in goal. You’ve got a lot more eyes on you when you’re playing in goal, it’s a big position to fill, but I do have a newfound respect for goalkeepers.”
When it comes to the Genero Adran Premier, it has been a campaign full of positives for Barry despite having to make do with a place in the bottom four.
“The league is one of the most competitive ones I’ve ever played in,” Murray says. “We got off to a good start considering how new we are as a team, and if you look overall at our results and performances, we haven’t really had a bad season. We’ve done well, picked up points against the likes of Swansea City, Wrexham and Briton Ferry, so overall we are happy, yet I think we could have pushed more for a top four spot.”
League action takes a pause this weekend as the Bute Energy Welsh Cup takes centre stage again, with Barry taking on holders Cardiff City away from home in the quarter-finals on Sunday (KO 14:00).
In their last nine meetings in all competitions, the Bluebirds have beaten the Linnets on every single occasion. Murray is fully aware of the challenges Iain Darbyshire’s side pose, but says her side are capable of upsetting the odds.
“It’s difficult coming up against a team who have such a record over you. With the history they have, the players they have, and the record they have, you do think if we are actually able to do this and beat them. However, if you go into the game thinking you’re going to lose, you’ve already lost. We do really believe we can go out there and get a result. We’ve had a few weekends off now which has allowed us to work really hard in training, and we really think we can get a result.
“It would be amazing to reach the semis with this team. We are a really close-knit unit this year, we’re friends on and off the pitch, and the togetherness is what got us a lot of results this season. To get a result on Sunday would go to show the hard work that we’re putting in is paying off.”
