BANGOR City put the disappointment of failing to gain a domestic licence to one side, by securing runners-up spot in the Welsh Premier League with a 2-1 win over Bala Town at Maes Tegid on Friday.

A superb last-minute winning strike from George Harry clinched the spoils, after Ian Sheridan had cancelled out Steven Hewitt’s 37th-minute opener for the Citizens - who are now set to drop down into the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance after 26 unbroken seasons in the top flight.

The implications of their shock relegation are that the Lakesiders, who finished fourth, could still gain automatic entry into the Europa League, if third-placed Connah’s Quay win the Welsh Cup.

Otherwise Colin Caton’s men must pin their Euopean hopes on winning the play-offs, which they would go into on the back of six successive league defeats.

“I thought we attacked really well, but didn’t take our chances when they came available to us,” said Bala manager Caton. “It’s the story of our season really, goals change matches and we didn’t take them.

“They’ve had probably three chances in the game and scored two, and I think we’ve had eight or nine chances, and that’s the difference between the teams.”

In the event of Aberystwyth Town winning the Welsh Cup Final, Bala would take on seventh-placed Barry Town United in the play-off semi-finals at home.

Caton added: “We’ll prepare well and train really hard for the play-offs, but it will be interesting to see if Connah’s Quay can win a major trophy this season.

“We’re just looking out for ourselves, if we go into the play-offs, we go into them, and we’ll prepare ourselves to go again.”

On a night overshadowed by their impending relegation, the Citizens showed that they had plenty of fight as they took a 37th minute lead when Steven Hewitt finished off a slick move from the visitors.

Nathan Burke, Keiran Smith, Mike Hayes and Chris Venables all had chances as Bala’s lack of clinical finishing came back to haunt them, despite determined effort.

A header from Stuart J Jones soared over the bar, and things were the same in the second half, with Bala creating plenty but unable to find the goal they needed.

Venables headed over from close range before firing into the side netting minutes later, and John Disney’s goalbound effort was cleared off the line, with Hayes’ follow-up then rattling the base of the post.

Finally Ian Sheridan levelled matters with 19 minutes remaining, but with the match heading for a draw, Harry’s injury time strike gave the visitors something to cheer on a very miserable week for them.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, S J Jones, E Horwood, J Disney, S Jones, N Burke, R Pearson, C Venables, M Hayes (L Davies 85’), I Sheridan, K Smith (J Evans 77’). Substitutes not used: C Vernon (gk), L Short, G Rule, J Jones.

BANGOR CITY: M Hall, J Bembo-Leta, A Darlington, D Gosset, S Hewitt, T Kennedy, A Miley (G Harry 63’), D Rittenberg, L Wall, L Wilson, G Williams. Subs not used: C Roberts (gk), S Jones, G Thomas. Attendance: 411.