Bala turn it up to 11 as Cup finalists rest bulk of squad

SECOND-place Bala Town went into overdrive in their final JD Cymru Premier game of the season as they beat Penybont 11-0.

Lassana Mendez, Jonny Spittle, Paul Rutherford and Bradley Davies all scored twice as next week’s Welsh Cup finalists rested the bulk of their squad.

Paul Harrison was given a guard of honour by both teams ahead of The New Saints’ 3-1 home win over Caernarfon Town to mark his final home game for the newly crowned JD Cymru Premier League champions.

The 37-year-old goalkeeper is due to retire after this weekend’s JD Welsh Cup final against Penybont at Cardiff City Stadium and game number 466 went the same way as so many others in his 15-year career at Park Hall as he ended on the winning team.

The 3-1 victory took TNS to 80 points for the season, their second highest total, but it wasn’t the perfect finish as far as Harrison was concerned as Gwion Dafydd squeezed in a consolation goal for the Canaries in the 94th minute to wreck plans for a clean sheet for the home hero.

“I’ve had so many good times at the club and it was nice to finish off with a win and another league title,” said Harrison.

“I knew for a while it was going to be my last season and this would be my last game.

“It was a nice touch having a guard of honour and I really enjoyed the day.

“I was disappointed to concede right at the death.

“I thought there might have been a foul in the build-up and it would have been nice to end with a clean sheet.”

Declan McManus added two more goals to his season’s tally to end the league campaign with 24. The Scottish striker would have bagged a hat-trick had he not hit the post with a penalty.

It was one of three times the champions struck the Caernarfon woodwork.

The prolific Ryan Brobbel got the other goal to give TNS a 21-point winning margin at the top of the table.

Caernarfon nevertheless held on to fourth spot in the final table due to Bala’s thrashing of Penybont and Flint Town United only drawing 1-1 at home to Newtown in the other game in the Championship Conference.

In the Play-Off Conference, Cardiff Met held their nerve to reach the play-offs.

Two goals in a four-minute spell at the end of the first half gave the Archers a 2-1 victory at Haverfordwest

County.

Having fallen behind to a Ben Fawcett goal on the half-hour mark, the students were forced to hit back and their response was almost immediate as Joe Evans and Kyle McCartney hit the target.

They hung on to their advantage, and sealed their play-off spot with Connah’s Quay Nomads held to a draw at Aberystwyth Town.

A 76th-minute equaliser from 16-year-old Cameron Allen spoiled the Nomads’ date at the seaside as he rubbed out Craig Curran’s 39thminute effort for the visitors.

Allen came on in the 64th minute before heading home his first senior goal 12 minutes later.

In the battle between the two relegated teams, it finished 1-0 to Cefn Druids against Barry Town United to give them only their second win of the campaign. The winner was an own goal from Rhys Abbruzzese.

In the Ardal North West Porthmadog won narrowly at Y Felinheli (see full report below) while Llanuwchllyn beat Brickfield Rangers 4-1 and Nantlle Vale notched up a fine win on the road, thrashing struggling Brymbo 7-0.

Mold Alexandra lifted the FAW Trophy. A goal from Danny Warren gave them a 1-0 win over Baglan Dragons.