BALA TOWN 2, AFAN LIDO 0 (after extra time)
SUBSTITUTES settled matters as Bala Town reached the semi-finals of the Welsh Cup for the first time in their history.
Colin Caton’s Welsh Premier League charges were given a real battle by Welsh League visitors Afan Lido, but a couple of goals in extra time did the trick for the home side.
And now they are just two wins away from lifting the famous trophy.
Bala knew they were likely to be in for a tough afternoon against their high-flying Welsh League opponents, who reached the Welsh Cup final just three years ago.
In the last round Lido knocked out Premier League Gap Connah’s Quay, and going into the tie the South Walians were on a 10-match unbeaten run, including winning their last seven outings.
Although Bala never really looked in danger of losing the quarter-final tie, finding a way past Afan Lido number one Mike Lewis was a different proposition altogether.
Lido did make a promising start at Maes Tegid, with Scott McCoubrey and top scorer Mark Jones having shots on goal
Bala’s first real chance came after 19 minutes when Lido gave the ball away on halfway, and Ricky Evans soon found himself in the clear, but his lobbed attempt ended up wide of the target.
Lido threatened from a corner 10 minutes shy of half-time, but Bala goalkeeper Leon Bimpson got a touch ahead of Scott Hillman.
Four minutes before the break, Bala went close to grabbing the advantage when the ball hit Shaun Galsworthy and was heading just inside the post, but Mike Lewis made a superb stop.
Into the second half and Afan Lido did threaten on occasion, notably when Gavin Jones made ground towards the area, cut in and shot just wide of the far post.
It was Bala’s turn to attack and visiting stopper Mike Lewis made another superb save, this time from John Tobin.
Then, from a corner, the ball was headed goalwards but Lido’s Gavin Jones was there to clear the ball off the line.
Jones was also a danger at the other end and when Carl Payne headed the ball across the Bala box, Jones reacted first but only succeeded in shooting over the bar.
Late on in the normal 90 minutes Bala were looking for that vital breakthrough and they went close to finding one when a dangerous cross was played into the box, but there was nobody there to supply the finishing touch.
Extra time was required to decide the tie - and Bala were finally in the box seat after 98 minutes.
Ricky Evans’ perfectly weighted pass was controlled by Ross Jefferies, who set up fellow substitute Osian Jones to score from close-range with his first touch.
Bala weren’t content to rest on their laurels as they continued to attack and Jefferies was denied just before the interval by Scott Hillman’s brilliant block.
The home side continued to have the better of things in the second period of extra time as replacement Neil Fisher found himself in the clear, but once again Lido keeper Mike Lewis saved.
Bala’s passage was finally safeguarded two minutes from the end, however, as Fisher shot from the edge of the area and the ball hit the inside of the post before nestling into the back of the net.
Bala Town: Bimpson, Irving, S Fisher, Powell, Jellicoe, Williams, Roberts, Duckett, Toner, Evans, Lloyd. Subs: R Jefferies, N Fisher, O Jones, Morrison, M Harris
Afan Lido: M Lewis, Cockings, Thomas, Hillman, Galsworthy, Payne, G Jones, Pridham, M Jones, White, McCoubrey. Suns: McEvoy, Borrelli, E Harris, V Lewis