Merthyr Saints 0, Bala Town 6

Bala Town this afternoon travelled to South Wales Amateur League side Merthyr Saints for a Welsh Cup 3rd Round cup tie. After the poor performance in last season´s Welsh Cup tie at UWIC the team were determined not to repeat that afternoon´s performance but like any cup tie against a lower league side the opposition are bound to raise their game and this was another potential embarassing banana skin cup tie awaiting to happen!

However, worries of an ´UWIC´ result were quickly dispelled as Bala raced into a 3-0 lead inside the first quarter of an hour. Mark Connolly opened the scoring for the Lakesiders after 5 minutes with a tap in from 12 yards. Stephen Brown doubled the score after 10 minutes, again tapping in a rebound. To complete the early scoring Connolly produced one of his trademark free-kicks (see photo, Conno far right with ball on its way into bottom left hand corner) to beat the home keeper who was left rooted to his line.

Ross Jefferies and Connolly again had gilt edged chance to extend the Lakesiders lead but blazed both chances over the bar when unmarked. The excellent Stephen Brown (who gave the home defence a torrid time throughout the match) then scored his second with a solo run, beating a couple of defenders and the keeper to walk the ball into the net.

There was still time for Mark Jones to beat two defenders and the keeper but his chance went narrowly wide of the post before the scoring for the half was completed on the stroke of half-time when Stef Edwards scored at the far post to send the visitors in at half time in a buoyant mood.

Saints, who had already beaten Llangeinor, Perthcelyn United, Rhosgoch Rangers and Caerleon to just get to this round had hardly troubled McCormick in the Bala goal thoughout the half such was the dominance his defence in front of him.

To their credit, Merthyr came out in the second half in a determined mood and were now creating a few half-chances for themselves. Chris Mason replaced Danny Williams soon after the restart and there was no further scoring until the 67th minute when an alert Mark Connolly beat his marker and the keeper to nip in and head Bala´s sixth and his third.

Immediately afterwards Loughlin replaced Jefferies and Morrison came on to replace Connolly. The rest of the match saw further chances for Brown, Mason and Jones with Saints creating a couple of their own in the dying minutes.

The result sees Bala comfortably through into the last 16 where they will be joined in the draw by Aberystwyth Town, AFC Porth, Carmarthen, Newport County, Buckley Town, Llandudno, Llanelli, Flint Town United, Cefn Druids, Airbus UK, Rhyl, Prestatyn Town, The New Saints and the winners of the Neath/West End and Port Talbot/Afan Lido ties which are played on Sunday.

We would like to thank Merthyr Saints for their warm and hospitable welcome which even put a couple of Welsh Premier clubs to shame and we wish them all the best for the remainder of the season.

Attendance - 351

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