BALA TOWN 2
THE NEW SAINTS 2
IT’S fair to say there was a sense of deja vu at Maes Tegid on Friday.
Matty Williams popped up to give The New Saints the lead, only for Bala Town to battle back and secure a fine point.
That’s what occurred on the opening night of the campaign when the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Park Hall and in the latest offering, two second half goals in the space of three minutes ensured that Colin Caton’s charges secured a deserved share of the spoils.
With a crowd in excess of 350 in attendance, this was a match that marked the halfway point in the first section of fixtures in the Welsh Premier League season.
Anyone watching highlights of this match on Sgorio on a black and white television may have trouble telling the two sides apart, as both were playing in hoops - Bala in black and white and TNS in green and white!
The Lakesiders forced a save from Saints’ captain Paul Harrison as early as the third minute, as Steve Evans cleared a Bala throw straight into Peter Doran’s path.
Doran hit a first time shot at goal, but Harrison was able to pull off a good save.
A couple of minutes later and it was Bala keeper Terry McCormick’s turn to be called into action.
Christian Seargeant whipped a corner into the box, which Steve Evans headed into the path of Matty Williams, but his flick towards goal was saved by Bala’s number one.
The New Saints’ Craig Jones went on a surging run and sent a curling cross into the penalty area, which was just missed by Matty Williams’ outstretched boot and the ball went narrowly wide.
Jones momentum unfortunately caused him to crash into and over the barrier behind the goal; either that or he caught a whiff of the burgers from the van and fancied a mid-match snack!
The visitors took the lead in the 22nd minute, as a cross was played into the box after a counter attack.
The ball was cleared by Bala’s Danny Williams, but the ball went straight to Matty Williams, who hit a great first time volley into the top corner of the net from eight yards out.
Five minutes later and some great end-to-end football ended with the league leaders doubling their advantage.
McCormick parried a Matty Williams cross, which Steff Edwards was able to collect and he passed to Lee Hunt on the break.
Hunt spotted Harrison off his line and tried to chip him from 35 yards out, but the keeper was able to collect.
Harrison then started off a break in the opposite direction, which culminated in Simon Spender hitting a pinpoint cross to Greg Draper in the danger zone and he headed in the Saints’ second goal from a tight angle.
If the first half went to The New Saints, the second period belonged to Bala.
Caton’s warriors pulled a goal back just before the hour-mark after Steve Brown went on a long run.
Lee Hunt and Chris Mason were in hot pursuit; but Brown decided to go on his own and unleashed a shot at goal, which took a deflection off Steve Evans and went in to the bottom corner of the net.
The strike may have to be put before the dubious goals panel, as some onlookers felt that it could have gone down as a Steve Evans own goal.
Three minutes later and Bala were level, benefiting from another deflection.
They were awarded a free kick some 20 yards from goal when Evans was penalised for a foul on Hunt.
Captain Mark Jones stepped up to take the set piece, which deflected off the wall and went into the top corner of the net.
At the other end, a great double save from McCormick ensured Bala would get a share of the spoils.
First he pulled off a save from an Alex Darlington shot, and he then did brilliantly to recover to dive low to save Matty Williams’ shot from the rebound.
The keeper’s reward for his hard work was a brief visit from the Bala physio after he picked up a slight knock following the second save.
It wasn’t quite done-and-dusted, and Bala had a chance to nick all three points in the dying seconds.
Hunt crossed the ball into Steve Brown’s path and his shot appeared to be heading for the top corner of the net, but Harrison was able to leap into the air to collect the ball in what turned out to be the last action of an exciting match.