BALA Town were brought back down to earth as a second-half brace from Ryan Brobbel steered The New Saints to a 3-1 comeback win to return them to the top of the JD Welsh Premier League.

Chris Venables had put the Lakesiders ahead, but the Saints, having missed a first-half penalty, hit back with two goals from the Northern Irishman and a customary Greg Draper finish to seal victory.

It was a cruel blow for hard-working Bala, after notching their first win of 2019 at Barry Town the previous weekend, as the win put the Saints a point ahead of title rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads at the top of the table, with a game in hand.

The Lakesiders were dealt an early blow as Henry Jones pulled up with a groin strain after only four minutes of play, before fellow Wales C international Chris Venables fired narrowly wide.

At the other end, Kurtis Byrne lifted the ball over the crossbar from six yards, and then Brobbel rattled the post for the home side with a curling 25 yard free-kick.

Kai Edwards fired over the crossbar for the Saints, but at the other end Bala’s first sight of goal came on 25 minutes when Paul Harrison tipped over skipper Chris Venables’ fine effort from 20 yards out.

The Saints spurned their most glorious chance yet when Danny Redmond’s jinking run in the box led to a penalty on 36 minutes, but Ashley Morris saved his spot kick and Aaron Edwards’s fierce follow-up volley was cleared off the line.

Bala then almost took the lead in first-half stoppage time, but Mike Hayes saw his curling left-footed effort go wide of the far post from around 10 yards out.

The Lakesiders made the breakthrough on 55 minutes when a corner was flicked on by Anthony Miley, and bundled over the line at the back post by Venables.

That lead was shortlived, however, as The New Saints were instantly level 60 seconds later when Brobbel’s free kick took a fierce deflection into the net.

The in-form midfielder added his second on 64 minutes when he reacted first to Blaine Hudson’s knock down from Jamie Mullan’s cross and slotted home.

The goals took the sting out of Bala’s play and soon enough a third goal was scored by the home side when substitute Greg Draper drove the ball into the bottom right hand corner on 75 minutes.

TNS: P Harrison, K Lewis, J Bodenham, B Hudson, C Marriott, J Routledge, D Redmond, J Mullan, R Brobbel, A Edwards (A Cieslewicz 72’), K Byrne (G Draper 57’). Subs not used: L Dutton (gk), J Nembhard, D Ebbe, T Holland.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, A Burns, S Smith, A Miley, S J Jones, A Stephens, N Burke, C Venables, E Horwood, H Jones (I Sheridan 5’), M Hayes. Subs not used: S Kelly, R Valentine, K Jones (gk), S Fisher.

Attendance: 453. Referee: Rob Jenkins.