Flint Town United 2 Bala Town 2

JD Cymru Premier

BALA Town had to settle for a point at the Essity Stadium on Saturday after Flint equalised with almost the last kick of the game.

The Lakesiders, who were dominant in the second half after a poor opening 45 minutes, should perhaps have been of sight by that point and paid the price when Ben Hughes slotted the ball past Joel Torrance from close range in the fifth minute of added on time.

Bala boss Colin Caton said: “It feels like a defeat to concede last minute.

“It’s crucial, big moments in games, Joe Malkin’s gone through and he should slot it in really.

“And then you know with a few seconds to go, Eddie Clarke gets caught in possession and they go to the other end of the field, they cross it and score.

“On the whole we weren’t good enough first half, second half we should have scored three and four and you don’t. And then it’s 2-1 and they go and equalise late on.”

The visitors fashioned the first opening, Aeron Edwards unleashing a left-footed effort which drifted just wide of the goal.

But Flint were the better side for the majority of the first half and could have opened their account before the 35th minute when Sidi Fofana poked the ball home from close range after some pinball in the box  after Bala failed to clear a corner.

Bala had a shout for a penalty waved away on the stroke of half time when Malkin fell to the floor after looping the ball over home keeper Jack Flint but they were awarded a spot kick four minutes into the second half when Hussein Mehasseb was dragged down in the area.

He picked himself up and calmly caressed the ball straight down the middle to bring the score level.

Boosted by that breakthrough, the Lakesiders came flying at Flint and took the lead three minutes later, Osebi Abadaki powering the ball into the roof of the net following a goalmouth scramble and all of a sudden, the Town were ahead.

The hosts were lucky when a pull on Osebi Abadaki’s shirt from Harry Owen as the last man went unnoticed by the officials before Bala substituted both goalscorers Mehasseb and Abdaki for Lassana Mendes and Eddie Clarke respectively.

Malkin headed a difficult header over the bar and forced Flint into a save for Bala and Hughes tested Torrance from distance as the result lay in the balance.

But, with Bala running the clock down, Hughes robbed Clarke in midfield and fed the ball to Yonsian down the right to Harry Owen whose cross found Hughes to drill into the bottom corner.