BALA Town were unable to overturn their 3-0 deficit from the away leg in Italy - but Colin Caton’s side bowed out of the Europa League with restored pride after a 1-0 win over Tre Fiori of San Marino in the return leg at Rhyl on Thursday.

The Lakesiders had plenty of possession and showed plenty of endeavour, but they had to wait for Nathan Burke’s 76th-minute breakthrough reply goal.

Steven Tames then had the ball in the back of the net, but his effort was ruled offside - and despite late pressure Bala could not find the two extra goals needed.

Manager Colin Caton was left to reflect on the damage having already been done in the first leg as Tre Fiori’s aggregate victory meant they became the first team from San Marino to win a European tie.

They will now face NK Rudar Velenje of Slovenia in the first qualifying round, whilst Bala’s wait to go through a round in Europe goes on, after five attempts.

“We haven’t lost the tie because of tonight’s performance, I thought tonight’s performance was very good,” said Caton.

“There was lots of endeavour and commitment from our team, it was faultless, although we could have been better in the final third of the pitch with our final ball.

“They’ve come and camped in and have done a job on us. But it wasn’t tonight we lost the tie, it was over there, with the two massive individual errors we made.”

The Lakesiders dared to dream that they could haul themselves back into the tie, and they burst out of the blocks with an attacking formation for the second leg.

Nathan Burke had an early attempt on goal, but at the other end he then conceded a free kick which was blasted over Ashley Morris’ goal by Mirco Vassallo.

Bala continued to build pressure, with Andrew Burns’ ball in finding Kieran Smith who flicked on to Ian Sheridan, but his effort went inches wide of the target.

The visitors remained a threat on the counter-attack, with Maicol Acquarelli missing the target, and Morris having to make a stunning save to deny Vassallo.

The Lakesiders pressed on and Giorgio Pizzolato dropped the ball from Andy Mangan’s free-kick, but Stuart Jones was penalised for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Further Bala pressure should have been rewarded on 33 minutes when Smith’s cross found Chris Venables, but his effort went across the face of Pizzolato’s goal.

A Sheridan delivery into the box wasn’t capitalised upon, before a box to box run from Sean Smith arrived to Sheridan, but he was unable to get a clean connection.

As in the first leg, Bala forced a series of corners, but Mangan’s deliveries went unrewarded, and they were left with a mountain to climb in the second period.

Bala’s hopes of maintaining the tempo were frustrated at the start of the second half by a series of injury stoppages, but the Lakesiders managed to keep focus.

Tames replaced Mangan and was straight into the action as he went up against Pizzolato, but committed a foul on the shotstopper in a 50-50 challenge.

Bala’s pressure was mounting and an almighty goalmouth scramble was hacked away, before Burke’s strike was blocked.

Fiori countered with Vassallo heading wide, but back came Bala as Venables curled free kick over the bar, before seeing another effort come off the far post.

Time was quickly running out when Bala finally got their reward. A classy back-heel from Tames laid the ball off to Burke, who slotted home from 14 yards.

Bala, with their tails up, pushed on, and Sean Smith saw his low strike blocked, before a powerful strike from Andy Burns flew right into the face of a defender.

Tames had the ball in the back of the net, but it was adjudged to be offside by the linesman, and despite taking their corner count to eight in the seven minutes of added time, time finally ran out for Bala.

They couldn’t have given any more in terms of effort, but again it wasn’t to be.

BALA TOWN: Morris, Burns (SW Jones 88), Smith, SJ Jones, Miley, Burke, Sheridan, Smith (Horwood 67), Mangan (Tames 54), Pearson, Venables. Subs: Charles, Valentine, Jones.

TRE FIORI: Pizzolato, Andreini, Succi (Magnani 71), Acquarelli, Ghetti, Tamagnini (Matteoni 90), Pasolini, Vassallo, Teodorani, Bologna, Filippi. Unused subs: Broccoli; Della Valle; Caforio; Sossio; Marinaro.