THERE were goals galore in the dress rehearsal for this Sunday’s Welsh Cup Final as Dafabet Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints took the spoils in a remarkable 10-goal thriller against Bala Town.

Scott Quigley led the way with a hat-trick for the Saints as they ended their league campaign on a high with a 6-4 win at Maes Tegid, while the Lakesiders will have to settle for a third place finish this season.

A last-minute change five minutes before kick-off saw keeper Ashley Morris replaced by 18 year-old Ryan Goldston, who was handed his Bala Town debut.

Early chances saw Lee Hunt force a save, whilst down the other end Goldston tipped Quigley’s shot for a corner, which was headed over by Aeron Edwards.

Ian Sheridan broke the deadlock for Bala on seven minutes as his curling, long range effort found the top corner. Two goals in three minutes, however, turned the tables as Adrian Cieslewicz and Ryan Brobbel both fired home.

Bala missed a golden chance to level when Anthony Stephens was brought down in the box, but Stephens’ was pushed away by Andrew Wycherley and the follow up blazed over by Ryan Wade.

A Nathan Burke shot was also palmed away and as Bala pressed on David Thompson fired over and Nathan Burke forced another great save by Wycherley.

The hosts were back on level terms on 39 minutes when Sheridan broke away from his marker to curl his low strike into the bottom corner of the Saints’ net.

Two minutes later, another spot kick was awarded to Bala following a foul in the box, and Stephens made no mistake.

Two minutes later, however, Quigley saw Goldston off his line and lobbed the shot-stopper via the underside of the bar.

A spectacular 40 yard strike from Chris Marriott rattled the bar, but a minute into the second half the Saints went 4-3 ahead when a delivery from the right was headed in by Quigley for his second goal.

The goals kept on coming as Robbie Parry was allowed the space to slot home on 54 minites and Quigley completed his hat-trick on 63 minutes with a cool finish.

At the other end a 25 yard strike from John Irving was brilliantly stopped by Wycherley and Burke and Jordan Evans fired wide of the uprights from distance.

They pulled a goal back on 86 minutes as a complete scramble in the six yard box saw blocked from shots by Wade, Stuart Jones and Stephens, before Thompson notched his first goal of the season.

BALA TOWN: R Goldston, A Stephens, S Jones, S J Jones (W Bell 46), J Irving, R Wade, D Thompson, J Evans, N Burke (R Valentine 76), I Sheridan (M Hayes 68), L Hunt. Substitutes not used: A Morris (gk), K Smith.

THE NEW SAINTS: A Wycherley, S Spender, P Baker, S Saunders, R Pryce (T Matthews 46), C Marriott, A Edwards (S Ashworth 87), R Parry, A Cieslewicz, R Brobbel, S Quigley (A Hughes-Jones 82). Subs not used: P Harrison (gk), J Routledge, A Darlington, G Draper.

Attendance: 258. Referee: B Markham-Jones.