Bala Town 3 Aberystwyth Town 0

JD Cymru Premier

DESPITE an upturn in home form, points on the road have been tough to pick up for Aberystwyth and that’s the way it turned out at Maes Tegid.

Making their second shortest trip of the season to Bala on Friday evening, Anthony Williams’ men were sunk by goals from Chris Venables, Nathan Peate and a Jonathan Evans own goal giving high flying Bala Town a 3-0 victory to consolidate their place in the Cymru Premier top three.

However, the Seasiders were still applauded off the field by the travelling Black & Green army after seeing a spirited display by their team despite a number of injuries and unavailability.

The visitors started well and created some early openings. Charley Edge surged up the left wing and sent in a devilish shot which Alex Ramsey was glad to parry for a corner. And from the corner the visitors saw a header cleared off the line.

Luke Wall for Bala had a shot blocked, and then a left wing cross fell nicely for Venables to glance home a header at the far post to give the Lakesiders the lead on 19 minutes.

The irrepressible Lassana Mendes was by far the best player on the field and gave Aber a torrid time down the right flank, but the Black and Greens were still alive and Louis Bradford had a defiant overhead kick saved from a free kick.

Wall then flicked past Aber’s post, George Newell just missed a Mendes corner, but Nathan Peate made no mistake on the half hour from the same delivery and nodded home the second at the back post via the crossbar.

The game quietened down and apart from a Venables shot which went wide, there were otherwise few chances and the half time whistle went with Bala in control.

Into the second half and Peate had a soft header saved by Leigh Jenkins in the Aber goal, then at the other end Iwan Lewis delivered a super ball in which just evaded Steff Davies’ head, but when a right wing cross from Newell was turned into his own net by Evans just six minutes in, a long night was beckoning.

Credit however to the depleted Black and Greens who battled from here on in and restricted any further goals.

Peate headed wide for Bala, Cameron Allen came on for his first Cymru Premier appearance of the season and Kieran Smith had a shot deflected for a corner.

Mendes hit the post from the right side but then Aber created two great chances as Evans sent in a blistering shot which was parried by Ramsey to Allen, and Ramsey saved again from the 17-year-old’s effort.

Newell shot over for Bala, then young Jamie Jones came on for some game time in central midfield, and Edge headed Aber’s final chance wide at the back post from Lewis’ cross and the game was done, with the score at 3-0.

Aber’s superb away following kept singing for fully five minutes after the game finished and showed faith in and appreciation of the team which Anthony Williams’ men will hope to repay with more positive results going forward.

Two home games come next before the World Cup break, with Newtown visiting Park Avenue on Saturday in the JD Welsh Cup Third Round (ko 2pm).