Bala Town 1 TNS 0, JD Cymru Premier

BALA Town secured a vital three points in their push for a top six spot at the split with a hard fought 1-0 home win against champions The New Saints in midweek.

It was a very welcome return to winning ways in the JD Cymru Premier for Colin Caton’s men after an extraordinary run which saw them draw seven games and a defeat since their last victory, a 3-2 win at Park Hall against TNS way back in September.

They still face a fight to finish in the top six and they will need more results like this to secure their goal.

But they will take plenty of confidence from this display as they became the first ever team to beat TNS home and away in phase one of a JD Cymru Premier campaign.

Caton, who has guided the Lakesiders to Europe regularly during his tenure, said: “It was a great result as TNS are a phenomenal opposition and they put us under massive amount of pressure.

“But I thought we played well, we could have created one or two more chances if we had better quality in the final third but I can’t fault the lads. They’ve defended the box ever so well.

“They (TNS) ask question after question, the quality they bring on from the bench onto the pitch is just scary at time when you see the subs coming on.

“The lads have done absolutely outstanding. We rode our luck at times but that’s what’s got to happen when you play against a quality team like that.

“I thought we did really, really well, you’ve got to have endeavour, you’ve got to have commitment and a desire to want to go on and hang on to the result.”

Played in difficult conditions at Maes Tegid last Wednesday evening Bala, who head to Caerau Ely for a fourth round JD Welsh Cup tie on Saturday, fashioned the first chance after just three minutes when Lassana Mendes’ left footed half volley from the edge of the area went inches over the bar.

But clear-cut chances were few and far between with TNS, despite seeing plenty of the ball, struggling to find their usual fluidity.

They did create a few openings though with Joel Torrance, who made the league’s team of the week the previous week, showing his credentials with a stunning double save to keep the champions out before Declan McManus’ header struck the foot of the post before being cleared to safety.

The game’s big moment came seven minutes from the break when Osebi Abadaki was taken down in the area by TNS goalkeeper Connor Roberts for an easy decision for referee Rob Jenkins to award a penalty.

Up stepped George Newell to power the spot kick past Roberts despite the keeper getting a big hand to the ball.

It was only Newell’s fourth league goal of the season which highlights Bala’s struggle to find the back of the net in a campaign dogged by a number of injuries.

Stung into action, the visitors went in search of an equaliser before the break and they almost found one.

The influential McManus flashed a well-struck effort just past the post and then sent a free kick from just outside the area against the crossbar.

Ben Clark then forced Torrance into another top save and the follow-up effort blazed over the bar as Bala held on to their advantage at the interval.

The visitors kept pressing after the turnaround and Ash Baker squandered a good early opportunity when he scuffed a half volley just wide of the mark.

McManus was also wasteful just before the hour when he was put through on goal but his chip over Torrance also failed to find the target.

The pressure was building with Bala entrenched in their own half and McManus went close again to finding the leveller when his header at the back post was kept out by the busy Torrance.

Bala were defending for their lives but the Saints were still able to find chinks in their armour with Jordan Williams’ first time left footer veering away from goal at the last moment before McManus was denied by another Torrance save at the death.

TNS manager Craig Harrison said: “It’s bitterly disappointing, we don’t like getting beat in football games. It’s a tough one to accept but we’re going to have to.

“We had plenty of possession and we had some really good opportunities but we’ve not taken advantage of them.

“So that’s the important thing. If you give a really poor goal away like that and then you don’t take your opportunities then it’s never a good mix to be successful.”