BALA Town moved up to third place in the JD Cymru Premier with a 2-1 home win over Carmarthen - and Colin Caton’s men are level on points with second-placed The New Saints after 10 games.

The Lakesiders will now go into their top of the table showdown with leaders Barry Town United at Maes Tegid on Saturday in good heart, as they look to close the gap on the frontrunners to a point.

Against still-winless Carmarthen last weekend, Louis Robles had opened the scoring early on, but they were pegged level by Josh Bull’s strike - before Chris Venables, netted his 10th goal of the campaign just before half-time - and they held firm for their fourth straight win.

Both teams started well, moving the ball around well, before the Lakesiders made the breakthrough on 13 minutes.

A fantastic run into the penalty area by Sean Smith saw him run past three players, and he picked out Louis Robles, who confidently fired beyond keeper Lee Idzi.

The visitors worked hard through a determined midfield to get themselves back in the game, and midway through the half, they were back on level terms.

Following a neat break down the right hand side, a low cross was delivered into the penalty box and Josh Bull was there to drive home a hard-earned equaliser.

The visitors continued to rally and home keeper Ashley Morris was called into action when he somehow managed to block a close range effort with his feet.

That save was to prove crucial as Bala reclaimed their lead in the next passage of play, when Sean Smith again broke down the wing and laid the ball into Robles, who swung a delivery into an unmarked Venables on the penalty spot. The Cymru Premier’s top scorer rocketed the ball home to restore Bala’s lead.

Robles also had a great chance to score before the interval as he fired wide of the upright - but the second half saw further opportunities for the lively Lakesiders.

Kieran Smith went through on goal, but he was deemed offside, while down the other end a free header at the back post went narrowly over the hosts’ crossbar.

Smith and Jones then combined on the left, which allowed Henry Jones to loop a cross towards the back post, but Idzi gathered, prior to Robles driving forward and allowing Jones to fire over the bar. Jones fired into the side-netting, and when Sean Smith was clattered in the box, his penalty claims were waved away.

Kieran Smith also fired wide, and Venables’ header from a free kick lacked power and was saved by Idzi - before the move of the match between Jones and Robles saw the ball being tipped over by the Carmarthen shot-stopper on 88 minutes.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, A Burns, S Smith, J Spittle, N Burke, H Jones (S Leslie 85’), K Smith, L Robles (L Molyneux 90’+2’), S Kelly, L Mendes, C Venables. Subs not used: S Jones, E Horwood, T Stephens, S Sullivan.

CARMARTHEN: L Idzi, J Knott, D Vincent, L Surman, G Walters, L Bowen, L Harling, C Jones, C Morgan, J Bull, C Smith (J Vickers 72’). Subs not used: T Windsor (GK), L Thomas, J Woodford, C Hanford Att: 241.