BALA’S bid to secure a top six finish is on hold after they were defeated by Cardiff Met at Maes Tegid on Saturday.

Bala Town 0 Cardiff Met 1, JD Cymru Premier

Both sides were on the brink of securing their place in the top six for phase two of the JD Cymru Premier and in fine form prior to kick off.

The Lakesiders found themselves trailing at the break and despite a much improved display with the wind at their backs in the second half they failed to make the breakthrough.

Bala fashioned the first opening, Ryan Rogers forcing Alex Lang into a save at his front post to win a corner in the second minute.

Eliot Evans then squandered a glorious opportunity to put the visitors ahead on seven minutes when he screwed an effort wide after Bala failed to deal with a Lewis Rees cross.

It was the first big chance of the game and a player of his quality should have tucked it away. Evans has been in fine form for the Met in recent weeks, with five goal contributions in his last six appearances in all competitions.

But he made amends 10 minutes later when he got on the end of a fine, flowing move by Met which cut through the Bala back line to slot the ball calmly past Kelland Absalom.

The visitors were good value for the lead but Bala nearly found a way back on 25 minutes when Ryan Rogers did well to find Joe Malkin inside the box, but his header under pressure from a defender cleared the bar.

The hosts thought they had equalised on the half hour when Ross White bundled the ball over the line from close range but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.

Bala needed to show an improvement after the break and after an early mistake by Aeron Edwards which almost gifted the visitors a goal they applied almost constant pressure on the Cardiff Met defence.

But the closest they came to a leveller was when Joe Malkins’ looping effort following a Rogers cross was deflected onto the post and cleared to safety.

The visitors should have put this game to bed as the contest entered stoppage time when Thomas Vincent headed wide at the back post.

But with Bala continuing to press there was still time so snatch something from the game.

And their opportunity came in the third minute of added on time.

Substitute Josh Ukek beat his man to unleash a shot that was pushed away by Lang, but only into the path of Ollie Shannon, who couldn’t adjust himself to keep his shot under the bar.

And that was that, Bala’s six match unbeaten run was over but they will look to get back on track when they head to new boys Colwyn Bay at the Red Lion Foods Stadium on Boxing Day (2.30pm).