BALA Town tasted defeat after champions TNS scored early goals in both halves to take the three points at Maes Tegid on Friday evening.

The Lakesiders left empty handed but manager Steve Fisher was happy with his side’s display: “As daft as is sounds, because we’ve been beaten, I was really pleased with the performance.

“If you take the first two minutes of the first half and the first two minutes of the second half out of the game there was not much in it at all.

“We’ve had two great chances first half after we’ve gone one nil down to get back in it. We didn’t take them.

“I said to the lads at half time you’ve done really well. Got to go out and do it again.

“And then we switch off the first couple of minutes and concede another. You’ve always got an uphill battle then.

“I know it sounds ridiculous to say you’re happy with a performance when you’ve got beat, but I thought the lads were really good today.”

He added: “The way we went about it tonight was really good. I’ve just said to the lads if you turn in them type of performance for the rest of the first half of the season before the split there’s a good chance you can get top six.

“But it’s a long way to go and you’ve got to be consistent in your performances.”

The visitors took the lead after a minute when Ryan Brobbel latched on to Ben Wilson’s cross and his stooping header found the back of the net off the foot of the post.

Bala nearly equalised moments later when man-of-the-moment Hussein Mehasseb turned his marker in the area and made space to shoot forcing Nathan Shepperd into a fine save, the ball gathered at the second attempt.

Another big chance fell Bala’s way as Liam Higgins headed over the bar from a promising position.

TNS should have doubled their tally on 24 minutes when Wilson was put clear but his effort sailed over the bar.

He found himself in a similar position 10 minutes later but his audacious chip cleared Joel Torrance’s bar again.

But they did go two clear a couple of minutes into the second half when Bala failed to clear the danger from a free kick and the ball fell to Jack Bodenham for a close range finish.

Wilson went close again for TNS whilst Bala had a penalty appeal waved away.

Their best chance came on 71 minutes when Jacob Tarasenko attempted a curling effort towards the far post, but the ball flew inches wide.