A MEMORABLE year ended on a disappointing note for Bala Town as Rhyl bounced back to celebrate the New Year with a hard-fought 2-0 win at the Corbett Sports Stadium last Friday.

After their emphatic Boxing Day win over the Lilywhites, Colin Caton’s men saw their 12 match unbeaten run finally end as goals from Toby Jones and Alex Jones earned the hosts a welcome victory.

Bala had started brightly enough as Mike Hayes and Lee Hunt saw early chances go amiss, before Stuart Jones also headed over from around 12 yards out.

Rhyl, with five changes to their line-up, gradually grew into the game and they soon looked dangerous in the final third.

Kristian Pierce blazed wide of the upright, and Toby Jones forced a save, after a good ball from Ashley Young.

Chris Venables, Mark Connolly, Hayes and Hunt had half chances for Bala, but on 24 minutes, Rhyl broke the deadlock. A looped ball arrived to Toby Jones, who poked the ball home from close range.

The Lakesiders almost replied from the restart as Hunt held the ball up well before sending in a teasing cross for Hayes, who headed just wide of Owen Evans’ post.

Striker Hunt was denied again when Evans saved his close range header, but Rhyl doubled their lead on 36 minutes.

Young’s free kick was whipped in to the back post, and Alex Jones headed home from just three yards out to make it 2-0.

Bala fought back, and Nathan Burke sliced a shot wide after some ping-pong in the box, before Evans again was called into action to keep out Connolly’s effort.

Changes at the interval saw Conall Murtagh and Kieran Smith enter the fray as Bala looked to salvage something, but the Lakesiders’ chances were limited.

At the other end, Alex Jones could have grabbed his second but the ball got caught under his feet and the keeper collected.

Big striker Carl Lamb then drew a good low save from Ashley Morris as Rhyl sought to put the game beyond doubt.

A good spell of possession from the visitors saw Hunt head the ball wide from Anthony Stephens’ pass, but the home side remained resolute and in control.

A superb counter-attack saw Lamb’s effort cleared off the line on 65 minutes, but a Bala free-kick, after a foul on Keiran Smith, saw Stephens deliver a great ball in, but no red shirt was able to connect.

The visitors were then awarded a golden route back into the match when Mike Sharples was adjudged to have handled a cross, but from the resulting penalty Lee Hunt blazed his strike over the crossbar.

The Lakesiders also failed to capitalise on late scramble in the six yard box, after a cross from Kieran Smith, and Owen Evans saved from point blank range to deny Bala again in the dying seconds.

It had been an evening to forget for the Lakesiders, and they will be looking for them to bounce back against top three rivals Connah’s Quay in two week’s time.

RHYL: O Evans, C Lamb, A Young, T Hartley, J Bell, K Pierce (Z Edwards 83), A Simpson, T Jones, M Sharples, S Halewood, A Jones (M Walsh 89). Subs not used: R Crowther (gk), D Collins, O Buckley, I Murray, L Fitzpatrick.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, A Stephens, S Jones, S J Jones, J Irving, D Thompson (C Murtagh 46), M Connolly (K Smith 46), C Venables, N Burke, M Hayes, L Hunt. Subs not used: R Valentine, L Owens, I Sheridan.

Attendance: 307. Referee: Iwan Griffith.