Edwards targets victory to boost European ambitions
FORMER Wales international David Edwards is hoping he can keep Bala Town on track for a Uefa Europa League slot at Caernarfon Town in the penultimate round of JD Cymru Premier fixtures today.
Veteran striker Chris Venables came up with the goal that made the vital difference in the Good Friday shootout with Euro rivals Newtown at Maes Tegid, and now the Lakesiders are within touching distance of securing a ticket to another European adventure having gained a three-point advantage over the Robins.
When Edwards joined the club last season he went straight into European action and is hoping to ensure there are no slip-ups in the final two fixtures to let Newtown pip them to the lucrative bonus for finishing second in the Championship Conference to The New Saints.
“We drew 3-3 at Caernarfon earlier in the season and it is a tough place to go,” said Edwards.
“Having come up with the result against Newtown we now need to complete the job to finish ahead of them.
“We are edging ever nearer to another European campaign and that is all down to a massive turnaround in our fortunes since the enforced break after Christmas. “We were struggling before that. “We got our game together since then and having Chris Venables back fully fit and firing has been another major boost.
“Fair play to Newtown, they have pushed us all the way and it was a huge result for us against them on Good Friday.”
Bala have lost only once since the league split into two and that was against TNS. In 16 league games since December it has only been the champions who have beaten them.
“TNS are very worthy champions
and have set the standard for everyone this season,” added Edwards.
“We were 1-0 up twice against them going into the final 10 minutes before their strength told.
“We’ve dropped around 13 points this season after giving up winning positions and that is the one disappointment.
“I think we could have pushed them a bit harder if we’d been a little less gung ho and a bit more clinical.”
TNS won 7-0 on Good Friday when they hosted Flint Town United and travel to Newtown today looking for more goals as they prepare for the JD Welsh Cup final with Penybont.
It will be win or bust for the Robins if they want to challenge Bala for second place.
In the other game, Penybont host Flint, while in the Play-off Championship Connah’s Quay Nomads will have home advantage over top-of-the-table Haverfordwest County.