Two goals in the space of three second-half minutes were enough for Bala to progress to the semi-finals of the JD Welsh Cup.

Captain Chris Venables went all acrobatic to give Town the lead before Adam Roscrow would quickly make it two.

The battling visitors were handed another blow with just 14 minutes to play when last man Connor Goldsworthy was dismissed after a foul on Luke Wall.

And any comeback proved too much for the 10-man JD Cymru North side as Bala kept on track for another piece of silverware.

Still riding the high from lifting the Nathaniel MG Cup the previous weekend, Bala went into Saturday’s contest with Kieran Smith and Oliver Southern returning to the starting line-up.

The first sight of goal came for Town as Wall and Ollie Shannon came agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute, only to be denied by a goal-line clearance and a superb save from keeper Rhys Wilson.

But the visitors, who sit in second in the JD Cymru South, were equal to the task for much of the game.

They came close to scoring twice in quick succession. First, Keiran Williams’ 16th minute header threatened the Bala goal and then, just a minute later, Bala keeper Alex Ramsay was forced into a smart save from Thomas Walters.

The Bala defence was called on once again just after the half hour mark as Southern was forced into action to stop a two-on-one counter-attack after Antony Kay’s header was blocked at the other end.

After the break, Roscrow came close to breaking the deadlock with an effort from the edge of the box but Wilson was equal to it.

In the 61st minute Ramsay had to keep out a fierce strike from Ryan George.

It was down to captain Venables to finally break through the Briton Ferry defence – and he had to do it in style.

The visitors failed to clear a cross and Venables managed to squeeze his acrobatic volley home from a tight angle.

And just three minutes later Roscrow doubled the advantage, as he climbed highest to nod home into the bottom corner to leave Briton Ferry with their heads in their hands.

Two minutes later the visitors were down to 10 men after Goldsworthy was given his marching orders after bringing down Wall on the edge of the box.

Bala saw out the rest of the game to progress into the semi-finals alongside Connah’s Quay Nomads, The New Saints and Penybont.

But Town next return to action in the JD Cymru Premier as Phase 2 gets underway.

They welcome Penybont to Maes Tegid on Saturday, 11 February.