Bala Town 2, Newtown 2

However the lights were eventually all on at full power in time for kick off.

​The Lakesiders came out of the blocks quickly, and came close to scoring as early as the 3rd minute, as Stef Edwards went on a run down the left wing, before passing to Mark Jones, who crossed into the Mark Connolly’s path, who shot narrowly wide of the target.

​A few minutes later it was the visitors that came close to opening the scoring, as Jamie Price played a 40 yard free-kick into the penalty area; which was headed goal words by a Newtown striker, forcing a good save out of Terry McCormick.

​Nick Thomas made his first real save in the 21st minute, as Edwards crossed into the box; which may have taken a slight deflection, before being palmed wide by Thomas, who didn’t look as if he knew much about the save.

​The deadlock was broken in the second half, as some good build up play from Kevin Davies and Robbie Millington saw a great cross played into Zac Evans’s path, who beat McCormick to the ball, and placed it into the back of the net.

​The goal seemed to give the visitors a spring in their step, as they upped their tempo, and started to play more attacking football. Despite this it was the hosts that came closest to scoring next, as they were awarded a free kick 30 yards from Newtown’s goal. Mark Connolly stepped up to take the kick, and saw his shot hit the join of the crossbar and post. Michael Byron headed the ball in from the rebound, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

​With just over quarter of an hour left Stephen Brown won Bala a corner, as he forced Thomas to turn his close shot over the crossbar. From the resulting corner Lee Hunt was able to head home the equaliser; which was also Bala’s 100th Welsh Premier goal.

​Bala were reduced to 10 men in the 91st minute, as Stuart Jones received his second yellow card following a late challenge on a Newtown player. Unfortunately Jones was also injured as a result of the challenge, and had to be carried off by Bala’s physio, and sportingly Newtown’s Jamie Price.

​Any spectators that left Maes Tegid early to beat the traffic would have missed the probably most exciting conclusion to a match at Maes Tegid since Bala won promotion to the Welsh Premier.

​It all started when the visitors looked as if they were going to take home all 3 points in the 94th minute, as some good work by sub Gareth Partridge, who had only been on the pitch for 5 minutes, ended up with him crossing into Nick Rushton’s path, who slotted the ball home.

​There was still time for another twist in the tale though, as in the 95th minute Mark Jones collected the ball, and ran at the Newtown defence, before brilliantly chipping the Newtown defence and keeper, seeing the ball going into the roof of the net to give the Lakesiders a share of the spoils.

Gavin Billington

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