Bala Town 1 Caernarfon Town 2

FULL TIME

It all seemed to be going well for Bala as they took a one-goal lead into the break in the Gwynedd derby having controlled for long periods against the Cofis.

But the game was turned on its head in the second half as the visitors moved through the gears to take a deserved win.

The second half was barely underway when former Lakesider Mike Hayes fired a stunning equaliser into the top corner, his sixth strike of the season, to give the visitors the perfect start to the second half.

Kieran Smith squandered a chance to get Bala back in front moments later while Jack Kenny, at the other end, nearly put the visitors ahead.

Caernarfon were offering much more threat after the turnaround with play switching from one end to the other.

And they pulled ahead on 70 minutes, Paulo Mendes with a close range finish after Bala had failed to deal with a lofted cross into the area.

Cai Jones could have put the game out of sight moments later, when he failed to get a touch on a dangerous low cross/shot by Jake Bickerstaff into the corridor of uncertainty.

Bala pressed forward again in search of an equaliser, but Caernarfon held firm for the win.

The Lakesiders made two changes to the side that faced Connah’s Quay in midweek, with deadline day signing Jack Mackreth given a debut, while Anthony Stephens came in for the suspended Jonny Spittle. Ryan Pryce also returned to the bench after missing out in midweek.

The debutant was influential from the start, latching on to a ball over the top on seven minutes but denied by outrushing keeper Josh Tibbetts.

Colin Caton’s men surged into a deserved lead on 17 minutes when Will Evans latched on to an Ollie Shannon corner and his header took a significant deflection past Tibbets.

Having conceded moments after taking the lead against the Nomads in midweek, Bala were careful not to do the same here and nearly added to their tally when the visitors’ Noah Edwards upended Raul Correia in a central position on the edge of the box.

Chris Venables’ driven free kick was goalbound but Tibbets did well to palm the ball away.

Caernarfon were fighting hard to stay in the game as the half wore on and Venables went close again with a header that sailed just over the bar.

Powerful striker Correia was withdrawn injured on the half hour, replaced by Henry Jones, and the substitute was influential from the off.

More half chances fell to Bala, but with only the one goal in it, Caernarfon were still very much in the game and finished the half strongly.

Bala: Alex Ramsay, Sean Smith, Nathan Peate, Anthony Stephens, Kieran Smith, Ollie Shannon, Antony Kay, Jack Mackreth, Raul Correia, Will Evans, Chris Venables. Subs: Lassana Mendes, Shaun Kelly, Henry Jones, Ryan Pryce, Andrw Burns.