JORDAN Evans scored two great goals as Bala Town ended a five-match winless streak in the Welsh Premier League with a much-needed 3-1 victory at Newtown’s Latham Park last Thursday evening.

Evans opened the scoring for the Lakesiders in the 12th-minute when home keeper Dave Jones failed to cover his near post, and was beaten by an angled strike.

The Robins got back on level terms just before the half hour mark when Joe Kenton hit a superb strike from just outside the box, but two goals within three second-half minutes settled the contest.

First a long ball forward was flicked on for Mike Hayes to volley past Jones, and Evans soon grabbed his second goal of the night with a low 25-yard free-lick that was expertly curled into the far corner.

Manager Colin Caton is now looking for his side to build on their third league win of the season when they take on Barry at Maes Tegid on Saturday (ko 2.30pm).

“It was a relief,” said Caton. “We’ve have a bit of criticism, and rightly so, but we’ll take that just as we do the plaudits.

“The lads have done really well today, and I’m happy for Jordan, who worked really hard and scored two great goals.

“Over the past few weeks we haven’t performed, but I always knew a win was coming, you can’t have a quality dressing room like ours and not perform weekly.

“Ten games ago we were playing in Europe, and 12 games ago we won the Welsh Cup, so we didn’t need to be worried.”

Newtown began on the front foot as Jamie Reed flashed an early cross just wide, and Joe Kenton saw a rasping volley saved by the feet of Ashley Morris.

Moments later a neat move down the right carved out another early chance, but New Mitchell’s turn and shot was again saved by the feet of the Bala stopper.

It was Bala who got in front, however, on 12 minutes as Les Davies laid the ball off for Evans on the half way line, and the former Wrexham man ran through and fired low under home keeper Dave Jones.

Within minutes, Nick Rushton turned and volleyed just inches wide of the mark for Newtown, and just before the half hour mark and the Robins were level, courtesy of a brilliant strike from Kenton.

The winger cut in from the left and drove a shot in from the edge of the penalty box, beating keeper Morris at his near post.

Newtown stepped up and Mitchell saw a shot blocked in the box, before Jay Denny’s ambitious long range effort had the Bala keeper back-peddling to tip it over.

Ryan Kershaw fired wide for the Robins, but at the start of the second period, a brilliant curling a shot by Evans came back off the underside of the Newtown crossbar.

Moments later, a long ball from David Thompson was flicked on by Nathan Burke, and Mike Hayes got in front of his marker to fire his volley past the leeper.

Two minutes later it was 3-1 as Evans’ low free-kick from around 25 yards out was fired into the bottom corner of the net.

Stuart Jones had a header saved, but Robins skipper Craig Williams volleyed over the bar at the other end and Rushton skewed a late volley wide from 10 yards as Bala held on to a much-needed win.

NEWTOWN: D Jones, Craig Williams, R Sears, K Mills-Evans, J Price, J Denny, R Kershaw, N Mitchell (J Murphy 82’), J Kenton, N Rushton, J Reed (L Boundford 71’). Subs: I Cartwright, G Cadwallader, J Perry (gk), W Evans.

BALA: A Morris, S Jones, S J Jones, L Owens, C Murtagh, D Thompson, N Burke, J Evans (G Rule 89’), M Hayes, I Sheridan, L Davies. Subs not used: C Vernon (gk), R Valentine, W Bell. Attendance: 230. Referee: N Pratt.