BALA Town settled for a share of the spoils in a hard-earned 1-1 draw with The New Saints at Maes Tegid on Friday - and manager Colin Caton felt that his side did enough to beat the 10-man visitors.

Blaine Hudson had put the Saints up early on, but midway through the opening half Chris Marriott was shown a straight red for a foul on Henry Jones.

The Lakesiders hit back, with Jones crossing for Steven Tames who netted the equaliser with his 13th of the season.

The Saints though missed a glorious chance to retake the lead on 71 minutes when Jamie Mullan was fouled in the box, but Dean Ebbe saw his penalty saved by home keeper Ashley Morris.

“We definitely should have won it,” said Bala manager Caton after the game.

“People will look at the penalty save, a great save, but the game should have been dead and buried in he second half.

“They were down 10 men, and we were camped in their half all game. But credit to them for their defending in the box.

“We hit the post, and they’ve blocked a few shots on the line, but it’s also a bit of us not showing quality in and around the box and taking chances. I’m coming away feeling we should have won it.”

It took just 11 minutes for the Saints to open their account when Hudson marked his return from injury by heading home from Chris Seargeant’s corner.

Ryan Brobbel twice went close from the edge of the area, but the game swung in the hosts’ favour on 34 minutes when Chris Marriott earned a red card following a rash challenge on Henry Jones.

Both sides had scoring chances at the end of the half with Chris Venables going close for Bala before Brobbel fired over.

The Lakesiders dominated the start of the second-half with Steve Tames firing over from close range, and the pressure continued with Nathan Burke’s shot being deflected wide - before the Saints survived a goalmouth scramble from the resulting corner as Bala pushed on.

On 66 minutes the home side finally restored parity with Jones’ cross powerfully met by Tames to head beyond goalkeeper Paul Harrison for the equaliser.

Just five minutes later referee Nick Pratt handed the Saints a lifeline, after Jamie Mullan was brought down in the area - but Ebbe’s penalty was superbly saved by home goalkeeper Ashley Morris.

Former TNS midfielder Danny Gossett almost returned to haunt his former club by rattling the bar from 20 yards with 10 minutes remaining, whilst Kieron Smith curled inches wide as Bala pressed.

For the Saints, Aeron Edwards was denied by a last-gasp tackle from Bala defender Stuart Jones, but the honours ended even after an exhausting encounter.

BALA: A Morris, A Burns, S Smith, A Miley, S Jones, N Burke, K Smith, C Venables, S Tames, H Jones, E Horwood (D Gosset 54 minutes). Substitutes not used: I Sheridan, R Pearson, M Hayes, V Charles (gk), J Jones, J Edwards.

THE NEW SAINTS: P Harrison, S Spender, C Marriott, B Hudson, B Cabango, T Holland, A Edwards, R Brobbel, J Mullan, C Seargeant (K Lewis 54’), K Byrne (D Ebbe 62’). Subs not used: J Hmami, G Draper, L Dutton (gk), J Nembhard. Attendance: 242. Referee: N Pratt.