The New Saints 1 Bala Town 0

HALF TIME

Bala are looking to end TNS’ title ambition at Park Hall this afternoon.

Only a win for the Saints will give them a chance of regaining the crown while they also need Connah’s Quay to slip up at Penybont.

Minutes into the game the news filtered through that Connah’s Quay had taken an early lead at Penybont which triggered TNS into action.

After a quiet start the hosts nudged ahead on 10 minutes when Ben Clark ran onto a ball through the middle of the Bala back line and rounded keeper Harri Lloyd effortlessly to score into an empty net.

TNS were bossing possession with Bala struggling to trouble the home defence but they were given a massive boost when Ryan Harrington was red carded on 20 minutes.

The defender lost possession to Kieran Smith on the edge of the area and instinctively pulled his shirt as the Bala man was about to bear down on goal giving the referee no option but to send him off. Chris Venables sent the resulting free kick over the bar.

Bala set out to take advantage of their numerical advantage, playing keep ball and moving the ball from side to side to try to engineer gaps in the home side’s two banks of four.

After a good passage of play and a couple of dangerous crosses Smith volleyed wildly off target from the edge of the area.

Venables then tried his luck from outside the area but his shot drifted wide as the keeper saw it out.

But as the half wore on the home side began to look more comfortable, glad to take a one-goal lead into the break.

Bala: Harrl Lloyd, Sean Smith, Nathan Peate, Anthony Stephens, Andrew Burns, Kieran Smith, Antony Kay, Danny Gosset, Lasanna Mendes, Will Evans, Chris Venables. Subs: Alex Ramsay, Shaun Kelly, Henry Jones, Liam Davies, Steve Leslie