Bala Town 0 Penybont 0

JD Cymru Premier Championship

Bala missed an opportunity to leapfrog Penybont to fourth place after a goalless draw at Maes Tegid despite both teams fashioning a number of decent chances.

The early pressure was applied by the visitors, Bala keeper Alex Ramsay tested with a shot from outside the area.

At the other end, Lassana Mendes sent George Newell in on goal, but he was unable to direct his shot on goal from a tight angle.

The Lakesiders threatened again on 25 minutes, Antony Kay with a sweetly-struck volley from the edge of the area that sailed just over the bar.

Bala continued to press with Kieran Smith also guiding a volley over the target.

Oliver Southern then delivered a superb ball into the box for the Town forwards to attack, but a Penybont defender was able to head the ball out for a corner, which didn’t come to anything.

Their best chance came on the stroke of half time, Chris Venables inches wide with a half volley after Adam Roscrow drilled a ball across the box.

As in the first half, Penybont offered the greater attacking threat at the start of the second half but the Bala back line held firm.

George Newell managed to get a shot in on goal from just inside the area on 68 minutes, but his effort was easily saved down to the bottom right by Penybont keeper Kelland Absalom.

It was end-to-end with both teams posing a threat but Bala were dealt a blow when Nathan Peate was given his marching orders after receiving a second caution in just over 10 minutes.

But the 10 men continued to push for a winner.

Roscrow fired into the sidenetting at the near post after good work by Smith and went even closer on 89 minutes with a shot that almost bent into the top right hand corner.

Bala boss Colin Caton said: “I thought it was a really good game, two good teams locking head to head.

“I thought Penybont were excellent, really good, impressed with them.

“I thought they shaded the first half but we shaded the second period of the first half and I thought the second half was end to end.

“Then obviously the sending off puts us back a little bit but I thought we were outstanding with 10 men again.”

He added: “It was a good game, a good advert for Welsh Prem football.

“I thought was it a fair result? Yes. Maybe Rhys (Griffiths) will think they might have won it.

“I think we might have won it but overall a draw was the fair result.”

He went on: “We do well with 10 men. We haven’t lost this season. We went down to 10 men against Flint, against Aber and 10 men against Connah’s Quay and never lost.

“So maybe we should get someone off in the first minute and then we might win the game or don’t lose.”