BALA Town manager Colin Caton voiced his frustration after his side slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat at fellow Europa League qualifiers Connah’s Quay in an evenly-contested match at the Deeside.

Michael Wilde headed home what proved to be the only goal of the game with two minutes of the first half remaining, following a defensive slip, to earn Andy Morrison's men the points.

The Lakesiders, however, felt that they deserved at least a point in a hard-fought and sometimes heated encounter that saw Ryan Wignall sent off for the hosts.

“I thought that we dominated the game, we were the only team trying to score on the floor, and in open play,” said Caton.

“I’m really proud of the lads tonight, they’ve done really well, but they just need to be better in the attacking third. I don’t think our keeper has had a save to make, and they’ve hardly troubled us.”

Caton’s preparations were also frustrated by there being no lights in the visitors’ dressing room, meaning his half-time team talk was conducted on the pitch.

“We didn’t have any lights in the changing room before the game or during half-time, so we had to do the team talk on the pitch, and without drinks,” said Caton.“They had 45 minutes to get it right before the game, and they still hadn’t done it by half-time. Maybe it was a technical fault, but it does seem very strange.”

Former Nomad Les Davies gave his old teammates a tough evening, and forced an early save, before Andrai Jones belted an effort goal-bound from 25 yards out, only for it to whistle just inches wide.

At the other end, the hosts threatened when Matty Williams ran clear in front of Bala’s goal, but keeper Ashley Morris swept the ball from him, before Wilde also had a volley blocked for the hosts.

Davies and Jones had a couple more half-chances of their own either saved by John Danby or blocked by the ever-committed home defenders, but as half-time approached Wilde broke the deadlock.

Keeper Morris came off his line to try and deal with Matty Williams, and Sean Smith managed to send in a perfect cross towards Wilde to head into an open net.

Bala responded positively in the second half, with Les Davies, Mike Hayes and Chris Venables having efforts blocked as the Lakesiders pushed on for an equaliser.

Then, around the hour mark, tempers flared when a tackle on Stuart Jones led to Ryan Wignall being sent off after an ugly fracas, which saw Bala's Chris Venables shown the yellow.

With order restored, home keeper Danby was called into action when he tipped over Nathan Burke’s effort from distance, prior to a goalline clearance denying Venables an equaliser from close range.

A good ball in from Lee Owens picked out Mike Hayes, but the forward was unable to reach the teasing ball that could easily have resulted in the equaliser.

Bala threw everything at Quay’s 10 men, and Jones broke forward and released Hayes, but Danby was able to smother the chance, before an 89th minute block tackle from Smith denied Bala once again.

CONNAH’S QUAY: J Danby, K Edwards, G Horan, D Harrison, R Wignall, C Morris, M Wilde, M Williams, S Smith, J Owen, J Heath. Subs not used: M Owen, J Phillips, M Bakare, M Bakare, J Oyenuga, J Sullivan, C Harwood.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, S Jones, S J Jones, L Owens, E Horwood, C Venables, D Thompson, N Burke, M Hayes (I Sheridan 90), A Jones, L Davies (J Evans 60). Subs not used: C Vernon (g), W Bell, G Rule. Attendance: 255.