BALA TOWN skipper Chris Venables was the star of the show as his side humbled Barry Town United with a 4-0 victory.

In the club's latest midweek tie played on Wednesday evening, Venables hit a hat-trick as Colin Caton's Bala side made it nine goals in two games and secured their first clean sheet of the 20/21 JD Cymru Premier season at Maes Tegid.

The match started with some great pressure from Bala. Goalkeeper Alex Ramsay cheekily had a shot on goal from his own half just four minutes in, but his effort went over the bar.

However, the pressure did tell early on as, after a good spell of attacking play, Bala went ahead with just six minutes on the clock.

Venables (below) opened the scoring after a header from Lassana Mendes fell into his path in the box and he hit a sweet strike on the half volley into the back of the net.

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It was nearly two straight after, when a bit of pinball in the Barry box fell to Bala midfielder Will Evans, but he couldn't get the shot away.

Bala stood strong throughout this tie to keep the likes of Kayne McLaggon, who had just scored his 50th Barry Town goal five days earlier, quiet and maintain a clean sheet with the likes of Sean Smith blocking everything that came the defence's way.

And Smith would prove to be more than useful in the attacking department that night too though. Just after the half hour mark, a looping cross into the box from him to the Barry Town back post found Venables who leaped up high to head home for 2-0.

Bala's captain then went close with another header which went just over the bar before he did eventually complete his hat-trick before half time.

In the final added minute of the first half, Sean Smith was again the provider as he poked the ball into Venables' path, who had an easy tap in to make it three for himself and three for Bala.

That goal put Venables at the top of the JD Cymru Premier goalscoring pile with eight to his name already last season.

In 2019/20, he received a fourth Golden Boot of his career in Wales' top-flight when he scored 22 goals in just 26 games for the Lakesiders.

Although the match result was seemingly already beyond them, Barry Town came to life a little more in the second half as they forced Bala keeper Ramsay into a good save early on.

Seven minutes in to the second 45, Venables could have had a fourth goal, when Barry keeper Mike Lewis came out to clear the ball and hit it straight to the former's feet, but his shot on goal was blocked well by one of Barry;s recovering defenders.

On the hour mark, the visitors looked as though they had pulled one back through a header, but Bala's luck was in this time as one of Barry's own players blocked it off the line.

Midfielder Mendes was superb in this tie for Bala as he kept winning the ball back with some great tackles to set the likes of Venables and Evans off on the counter-attack.

Venables had the ball in the net again late on but his goal was ruled out as the referee deemed his effort offside.

But Bala's final goal to sign, seal and deliver another three points came through the hard-working Evans.

After being down injured moments earlier, the midfielder who signed from Cardiff Met over the summer, got back up and onto the end of a Raul Correia pass to slot home for 4-0.

Colin Caton's side followed up their fantastic 5-2 win over Aberystwyth Town with another fine victory and their first clean sheet of the season in the JD Cymru Premier too.