INJURY-HIT Bala Town crashed to a heavy 5-1 defeat to title favourites The New Saints at Park Hall, on a day when everything went the way of the defending champions.

The Lakesiders were chasing the game from as early as the fifth minutes when Steven Saunders headed home at the near post from a Chris Seargeant corner kick.

The Saints’ Simon Spender and Greg Draper then combined to find Alex Darlington on the byline and his cross found Draper unmarked to double the lead on 14 minutes with a close range header.

Bala worked hard with Keiran Smith and Ian Sheridan seeing efforts cleared, before a move involving Ryan Wade and Chris Venables also took play into the danger area, before the Saints took charge.

After the interval Smith also had an excellent half volley chested away by keeper Paul Harrison, and Sheridan was beaten to the follow up by Connell Rawlinson.

Seargeant, however, extended the lead five minutes into the second half from the penalty spot, after Draper had been fouled by Stuart Jones, and although Bala keeper Alex Lynch got his hands to the ball he couldn’t prevent it going over the line.

The Lakesiders got a goal back a minute when Chris Venables linked with Sheridan and set up Ryan Wade, who made no mistake in slotting in from eight yards out.

Their hopes were dashed again, however, as the deadly Saints added another goal when Robbie Parry headed home from another testing Seargeant flag kick.

Bala’s heads didn’t drop, and they kept grinding away as Jones and Venables combined to allow Wade to break and shoot at goal - but things were to get worse still.

Anthony Stephens was harshly red-carded after a foul on Draper and Seargeant bagged a second penalty on 67 minutes.

Sub Jamie Mullan blazed a good chance over the bar just after coming off the bench, and Connell Rawlinson also missed the target from a good position after being set-up by Wes Fletcher’s cross.

The Saints were then awarded a very fortunate third penalty for alleged shirt pulling, but this time Lynch was equal to the task, and saved from Darlington.

Mark Jones went close with an 18-yarder that went just over the target, but it was a rare moment of threat from Bala who were soundly beaten on the day.

TNS: P Harrison, S Spender, C Marriott, J Routledge, C Seargeant (J Mullan 73), R Brobbel, G Draper (W Fletcher 73), R Parry (J Farleigh 80), S Saunders, C Rawlinson, A Darlington. Subs: P Baker, R Pryce, J Jones.

BALA TOWN: A Lynch, R Valentine (M Jones 46), A Stephens, S Jones, R Wade, R Edwards, N Burke, C Venables, I Sheridan, K Smith, M Hayes (M Connolly 71). Subs not used: A Morris (gk), L Owens, S Fisher. Attendance: 203.