BALA Town were left with a mountain to climb in the second round of their Europa League qualifying tie, after costly mistakes meant they went down 3-0 in the away leg against Tre Fiori of San Marino last Thursday.

First half defensive errors proved costly as an own goal from Bala’s Anthony Miley, was followed by a gifted effort for Giacomo Pracucci and a deflected Mirco Vassallo strike to put the home side in firm control of the tie before the interval.

Floodlight failure soon after the break disrupted the game and although Pracucci was sent off after 80 minutes, Bala were unable to score a crucial away goal.

The two sides meet again at Rhyl’s Belle Vue home on Thursday, 5 July, but Bala need a very big turnaround if they are to win a European tie at the fifth attempt.

The new-look Lakesiders started brightly at Forli, Italy, with new signing Andy Mangan failing to capitalise on a great chance on six minutes, and seeing his follow-up shot saved by Giorgio Pizzolato.

Disaster struck a minute later, however, as the home side broke quickly and defender Anthony Miley sent a terrible back pass beyond keeper Ashley Morris and into the back of the net from 30 yards.

The Lakesiders didn’t let their heads drop and had a chance to level on 12 minutes when Stephen Tames’ chance was blocked, after three successive corners.

Stuart J Jones also headed narrowly over the crossbar from a Mangan flag kick, and keeper Pizzolato had to be alert to claim several dangerous deliveries into the box.

When Tames laid the ball off to Kieran Smith, he saw his low strike well saved, but then their failure to make their pressure count was punished on 32 minutes.

A neat through ball opened up the Bala defence and when keeper Morris came off his line to the edge of the box, his clearance fell into the path of Pracucci, who had the simplest task of slotting home into an empty net from 25 yards out.

It got worse for the Lakesiders four minwhen Vassallo’s effort from outside the penalty box took a deflection and looped over Morris into the net, and the visitors faced a mountain to climb after the break.

Vassallo and Pracucci fired wide either side of half-time, but the lights literally appeared to go out on Bala’s Europa League hopes when, nine minutes after the restart, the stadium fell into darkness.

There was a 30 minute delay to get the floodlights up and running, but when play finally resumed, Bala continued to see plenty of the ball and created chances.

Substitute Ian Sheridan almost made an immediate impact when he came on for Tames, but his effort from distance looped beyond Pizzolato’s far post.

Bala had appeals for handball in the penalty area waved away, but they kept pressing and Kieran Smith saw his opportunity blocked by the home defence.

A flurry of cards saw Vassallo, Danny Gasperoni and Davide Succi booked, along with Andrew Burns, Chris Venables and Anthony Miley for Bala, but the hosts had a great chance to make it 4-0 as Vassallo turned Jones, but fired wide.

Vassallo again missed the target, but with the foul count increasing, it was Pracucci who paid the price as he was sent off for a challenge on Rob Pearson.

In the closing stages of the match, Bala pressed on for an away goal, and a series of corners were floated in by Mangan and sub Evan Horwood, but without reward.

In injury time, Mike Hayes appeared to be fouled in the box, but again Bala’s penalty appeals were waved away by match referee Stanislav Todorov of Bulgaria.

The Lakesiders, however, had their best opportunity of the game in the fourth minute of injury time when Venables’ shot rattled the bar following a Horwood flag kick, and was safely cleared away.

It capped a frustrating evening for the Lakesiders, who will feel that they will have a point to prove in Rhyl this week.

TRE FIORI: Pizzolato, Andreini, Succi, Gasperoni (Pasolini 76), Ghetti, Tamagnini, Vassallo (Aruta 87), Teodorani (Della Valle 84), Bologna, Filippi, Pracucci.

BALA TOWN: Morris, Burns, Smith, Jones, Miley (Hayes 79), Tames (Sheridan 54), Burke, Smith (Horwood 69), Mangan, Pearson, Venables. Subs not used: Charles, Jones, Valentine, Jones.