BALA TOWN 1

THE NEW SAINTS 4

A FOURTH consecutive defeat marked the weekend from Bala Town's perspective.

It was a tough Friday night for the Lakesiders in their penultimate home game of the season, as they came up against newly crowned champions The New Saints.

The start wasn't great from a Town point of view as they found themselves trailing after only six minutes of play.

A lapse in the defence allowed for Ryan Brobble to strike home from 18 yards out, leaving Bala with a mountain to climb from the outset.

After the goal, Colin Caton's charges seemed to settle and they were doing well in the centre of the park, with Nathan Burke and Rob Pearson pulling the strings in midfield.

Town should have hauled themselves level after a quarter-of-an-hour.

After good work from Ian Sheridan, Evan Horwood swing his delivery towards Kieran Smith, who fired wide of the target from 15 yards.

Jordan Evans was the next to test the visitors as he blazed over the crossbar from the edge of the area, prior to Burke meeting Smith's cross and his half-volley saved by Saints' number one Paul Harrison.

The play of the champions was slick and quick, and they punished Town further when Greg Draper's initial chance was blocked by Bala keeper Ashley Morris.

However, striker Draper tapped in the follow-up to make it 2-0 after 27 minutes.

Down the other end, Ian Sheridan saw his effort being palmed out for a corner, before Bala were forced to make a double block at the back to deny the visitors a third goal.

The second half didn't start brilliantly for Bala and they soon saw themselves 3-0 down.

After 58 minutes, a quick break through the midfield wasn't dealt with by Town and the ball arrived to an unmarked Kevin Kauber, who found the net from close range.

The visitors could have gone even further ahead when Kauber's powerful effort rattled the woodwork minutes later.

As Bala sought a route back into the contest, Evan Horwood hooked the ball wide after a cross-field ball from Burke, before Rob Pearson saw his drive from the edge of the area being saved by Harrison.

The Lakesiders did manage to pull a goal back on 73 minutes.

Pearson headed the ball back into the area and Sheridan bundled it over the line from around a yard out to make it 3-1.

Bala's hopes of a comeback were short-lived, though, as the Saints hit back with nine minutes left to play.

Ryan Brobble carved open the defence as he picked out Dean Ebbe, who then played in Aeron Edwards to add a fourth goal.