MIKE Hayes netted the winner for Bala Town as Colin Caton’s side got their first Welsh Premier League win in five matches with a 3-2 victory over Newtown.

The Lakesiders still have a chance of finishing fifth, to gain a home tie in the play-offs for Europe - likely to be against Newtown - after they closed the gap to two points on the mid Wales outfit.

“We’ve given ourselves a chance of being at home in the play-offs, where we fancy our chances - it puts pressure on Newtown in the last game,” said Caton.

“We started really well, took the lead, but then we went 2-1 down. However, the lads showed a lot of character to come back the way they did, and can take confidence from the performance.”

Hayes latched onto a long clearance from Sean Smith, before slotting home low past Robins’ Dave Jones to cap the Lakesiders’ comeback from 2-1 down.Bala had gone in front in the fifth minute, when Chris Venables turned home Henry Jones’ free-kick from the left.Newtown, however, responded well and looked to have equalised midway through the half when Nick Rushton converted from a corner kick, but a foul in the build up saw the goal chalked off.

Minutes later though the Robins were level, with Steve Leslie profiting from the concession of a cheap free-kick to fire past Keighan Jones in the Bala goal.

Rushton did get his goal shortly after, capping off a swift counter attack to put the Robins into the lead, but Bala dug in though and were level before half time, with Venables again scoring the goal, by heading home another Jones cross.

A 25 yard strike from Jones was well saved, but that was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock after the restart, until Hayes grabbed the winner.NEWTOWN: 1. Dave Jones, 3. Callum Roberts, 5. Kieran Mills-Evans, 6. Jay Denny, 7. Neil Mitchell (18. George Hughes 77'), 8. Nick Rushton, 11. Joe Kenton (32. Porya Ahmadi 83'), 10. Steve Leslie (9. Luke Boundford 77'), 19. T.Craig Williams, 23. Alex Fletcher, 26. Sam Barnes. Subs not used: 13. Jack Perry (gk), 17. Sam Phillips, 25. Will EvansYellow Cards: Rushton 21' Kenton 59' Leslie 63'BALA TOWN: 30. Keighan Jones, 2. Andrew Burns, 3. Sean Smith, 4. Stuart Jones, 6. Anthony Miley, 8. Nathan Burke, 23. Christian Seargeant, 11. Kieran Smith, 77. Henry Jones (12. Evan Horwood 89'), 25. Chris Venables, 9. Mike Hayes (10. Ian Sheridan 90'). Subs not used: 16. Ryan Valentine, 20. Joe Edwards.Yellow Cards: None.Attendance: 302. Referee: Gavin Townsend.