Bala Town 5 Caernarfon Town 2

FULL TIME

After the massive win against Penybont in midweek, Bala were looking to build up some momentum in the Gwynedd derby this evening.

And they did just that, but were made to work for it.

Colin Caton’s men started brightly, taking the lead on 20 minutes and controlled long periods of the first half but the visitors hit back twice to take an unexpected lead into the interval.

The Maes Tegid side needed a response and they provided it in the second half with four goals to run out comfortable winners eventually.

Bala’s Will Evans headed over the bar from a fourth minute corner before they opened their account.

It came from that man again, top scorer Chris Venables slotting the ball home at the near post after good work down the flank and a peach of a cross by Lassana Mendes.

Playing with the same starting eleven that beat Penybont on Tuesday night, with Liam Davies replacing Harri Lloyd on the bench, the Lakesiders threatened again when Mendes created some magic once more, driving into the box and feeding the ball to Raul Correia whose cross across the face of goal was cleared by the visitors.

At the other end, a good block by Anthony Stephens denied former Lakesider Mike Hayes.

But Bala’s backline was breached on 33 minutes, poor defending allowing Jacob Bickerstaff in to take the shot from the edge of the area, which curled past Ramsay into the goal.

Venables went into the book for dissent moments later as the home side’s frustrations grew, before the striker turned his man with a two-on-one attack. But he opted to go on his own and the Cofis were able to track back to make the challenge.

With the game entering stoppage time the game was turned on its head when the visitors took the lead when Hayes converted a hotly-contested penalty.

Despite the setback of conceding so late on, Bala sparked into action in the second half and thought they were back on level terms on 50 minutes when a shot hit the inside of the crossbar and looked to have gone in, but the referee and his assistant said it hadn’t crossed the line.

Caton had introduced Henry Jones and Jack Mackreth to replace Steve Leslie and Raul Correia at the break and they continued to push for the equaliser.

They had a penalty shout waved away after Jonny Spittle went down inside the box before Mackreth won a corner on 56 minutes, which was headed home by Spittle.

The hosts continued to press with Venables seeing a shot blocked and a Henry Jones effort well saved by Tyler French.

And the pressure paid off on 69 minutes when Will Evans pounced on a mistake at the back to fire home.

This was much better by Bala and Venables almost extended their advantage, powering a header wide after a stunning cross by Henry Jones.

Hayes should have done better on 74 minutes when through on goal but his tame effort was easily gathered by Ramsay.

But the result was put beyond doubt with two late goals.

Venables grabbed his brace on 89 minutes with a close range finish after good work by Jones before Evans bagged his second in the third minute of added on time.

Bala: Alex Ramsay, Sean Smith, Jonny Spittle, Anthony Stephens, Ryan Pryce, Lassana Mendes, Antony Kay, Steve Leslie, Raul Correia, Will Evans, Chris Venables. Subs: Henry Jones, Nathan Peate, Jack Mackreth, Danny Gossett, Liam Davies