Lakesiders beat Canaries to seal European spot
BALA’S Easter Monday victory at Gwynedd rivals Caernarfon sealed second place in the JD Cymru Premier - and guaranteed European football will return to Maes Tegid.
Bala’s 2-0 win at the Oval qualified them for the Europa Conference League through a Will Evans header on 55 minutes and Dean Ebbe making sure of the points with 15 minutes remaining.
Caernarfon were down to 10 men late on after Aaron Simpson was sent off for a challenge on Bradley Bauress.
That result was enough to confirm second spot combined with Newtown’s home 0-2 loss to The New Saints, with Ryan Brobbel and Jake Canavan clinching the points for the runaway champions.
Bala had set themselves up for success with a narrow and crucial win over Newtown on Good Friday, with Chris Venables’ spectacular bicycle kick from a Dean Ebbe cross a worthy winner of such a crunch match.
Penybont also lost at home on Monday, 0-3 to Flint Town United, a Ben Nash goal followed by a Mark Cadwallader double keeping them in sixth place as their poor form continued.
Caernarfon also beat Penybont on Good Friday, dominating the match but failing to convert their chances, the winner coming through Billy John Borge’s own goal in injury time.
The Canaries can no longer finish higher than fourth and may need other results to go their way to hold on to that spot, with a trip to
TNS their final fixture this Saturday: the champions have shown no sign of letting up, putting seven past Flint without reply as well as the win over Newtown over the Easter weekend.
● In the Ardal North-West, Porthmadog kept pace at the top with a 1-0 win over St Asaph (see full report below). Nantlle Vale beat Llay Welfare 3-2 but Llanuwchllyn went down 3-1 at Rhydymwyn and Y Felinheli were beaten 3-0 at home by leaders Mold Alexandra. Llanuwchllyn were back in action at home to Brickfield Rangers yesterday after the Herald went to press.