BALA Town let a two goal lead slip as Scott Ryan’s 91st minute equaliser, on his full Newtown debut, completed a spirited second half fight-back by the Robins.

The Lakesiders were two up at the break, with Lee Hunt and Stuart Jones finding the net, but Newtown hit back to deny them the chance of closing the gap on leaders The New Saints to six points.

Early chances saw Ashley Morris deny Newtown’s Jason Oswell, after he had connected with a Craig Williams cross, and at the other end Mike Hayes went clear, only to be denied by Dave Jones.

Bala, however, got their noses front on 20 minutes as a Mark Connelly through ball saw Hunt smash home from inside the box for his 199th Welsh Premier goal.

The Robins tried to hit back, with Mitchell firing wide from distance, before going close again when he combined well with Matty Owen and Tom Goodwin, before firing low into Morris’s safe hands.

Bala stepped things up as the first period progressed and Hayes and Hunt both went close before they increased the lead.

Two minutes before the break, Jones lost his marker to glance in a Nathan Burke cross, and Bala looked in control.

Kieran Mills-Evans saw a header cleared off the line in stoppage time, but a Ryan Valentine cross almost led to Bala grabbing a third shortly after the break, but the Robins snuffed out the chance.

Ryan had two efforts blocked for the Robins, and Owen saw a long range shot deflected - but the best second half chance fell to Mitchell, who chested down a long ball before volleying just over the bar.

It was Mitchell who pulled one back for the Robins with 20 minutes remaining, when he headed in Craig Williams’ deep cross for his 12th goal of the campaign.

Stef Edwards flashed a shot over, but Hunt and David Thompson went close, before Connal Murtagh hooked Mitchell’s goal bound effort off the goal line.

Then, in injury time, Mitchell squared the ball for Ryan, who took his time before slotting home a dramatic equaliser.

NEWTOWN: D Jones, C Williams, G Cadwallader, K Mills-Evans, J Wells (S Edwards 65 minutes), M Owen, T Goodwin (M Cook 82 minutes), J Tolley, S Ryan, J Oswell (L Boundford 46 minutes), N Mitchell. Subs not used: J Perry (g), J Price, R Williams.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, R Valentine, A Stephens, S Jones, J Irving, M Connolly, M Jones (C Platt 46), N Burke, MHayes (D Thompson 78), I Sheridan, L Hunt. Subs: C Vernon (g), W Bell, C Murtagh. Att: 181