Cefn Druids 1 Bala Town 1

HALF TIME

HALF time at the Rock and what had been touted as a possible tricky test for Bala with hosts Cefn Druids having parted with their manager and first team coach earlier in the week turned out that way early on.

The Lakesiders fell behind to a seventh minute strike by Steffan Edwards, whose shot from inside the area flew past Alex Ramsay.

Kieran Smith was shown a yellow card moments later for a foul inside the Druids half.

Bala, who made no changes to the side that faced The New Saints last weekend, and with Lassana Mendes replacing Jack Mackreth on the bench, were nearly back on level terms on the quarter hour but Antony Kays’ long ranger sailed over the bar.

Bala did have the ball in the back of the net two minutes later through Chris Venables, but it was ruled out handball.

Kieran Smith was substituted on 23 minutes as a precaution after being cautioned and as the frantic start to the match continued, Steve Leslie’s cross into the box almost ended in the back of the net, but the keeper managed to grab the ball out of the air.

But Colin Caton’s men were back on level terms on the half hour mark, after pinball in the box following a Venables’ first time volley, saw Ollie Shannon toe poking the ball home.

Bala had the ball in the back of the net again, but it was ruled out after the ball was deemed to have gone out of play before Raul Correia latched on to a ball from Leslie, but his effort went wide of the post.

The visitors cranked up the pressure with Correia seeing his shot saved, the ball falling to Venables who was thwarted by a Druids defender.

Two quick efforts from Antony Kay and Shannon were both blocked off the line before Jonny Spittle picked up a yellow for a foul near the half way line.

Bala: Alex Ramsay, Sean Smith, Nathan Peate, Jonny Spittle, Ryan Pryce, Ollie Shannon, Antony Kay, Kieran Smith, Raul Correia, Will Evans, Chris Venables. Subs: Lassana Mendes, Henry Jones, Shaun Kelly, Steve Leslie, Danny Gosset