BALA’S impressive start to the season continued with a hard fought win against visitors Connah’s Quay Nomads.

Bala Town 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 0, JD Cymru Premier

They were aided by an own goal by Nomads keeper Jonathan Rushton but Colin Caton was happy with the way his side defended to secure their third clean sheet in as many outings.

The turning point of the game came on 48 minutes when Bala’s Joe Malkin forced the visitors into a defensive lapse and the ball looped towards goal.

Malkin attempted to punch the ball to safety but it clipped his glove and the ball bounced into the ground and spun into the back of the net.

Caton said: “I’ve been telling the lads a lot this season that you don’t have to play well to win games and that was a good example of it.

“In the first half we’ve stayed in the game and then second half I thought we did really well.

"We went at them a little bit and had the best chances in the game.

“People say it was a bit of luck with the goal but it was a great challenge in their box where as in the first half we were just sat back and were chasing into our own half.

“But Joe’s been brave, put a great challenge in which caused the ball to spin and Jon hasn’t dealt with it well enough.

“You get your just rewards if you put a lot of effort in and once the ball went in we had the best chances of the game to have won by more.”

The visitors shaded the first half but Bala had their moments with Nathan Peate going close with a trademark header and Iwan Roberts’ looping free kick from the left rebounding off the crossbar.

At the other end, Ryan Harrington forced Kelland Absalom into a fine save at the end of a move which saw two separate shouts for penalties waved away.

And Nomads missed a gilt-edged chance at the end of the half when Ben Nash headed wide at the far post after running on to John Disney’s peach of a cross from the left.

The Lakesiders took control following Rushton’s howler with Osebi Abadaki firing across the face of goal inches wide of the mark after latching on to George Newell’s header into the area.

Malkin then fired over the bar against his former club with Bala looking to make sure of the points as the game headed into seven minutes of stoppage time.