Lakesiders to face Connah’s Quay in MG final
BALA Town will be hoping it can be third time lucky in the Nathaniel MG Cup after beating last season’s runners-up Cardiff Met 2-0 in the semi-final.
You have to go back to the 2014-15 season for the last time the Lakesiders reached the final.
They were beaten 3-0 by The New Saints on that occasion having been beaten 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out by Carmarthen Town the previous year.
A week after picking up a straight red card at Cyncoed, Chris Venables broke the deadlock with a goal in the 19th minute that set Bala on the road to victory.
“A George Newell cross was deflected from the left hand side, and Venables (pictured) was there to poke the ball home on the line.
Former Wales international David Edwards then added a second in the second half to make things safe four minutes from time. Edwards latched onto the ball on the edge of the box before unleashing a left footed half volley which was too powerful for Met keeper Alex Lang to handle.
Connah’s Quay Nomads celebrated the announcement that manager Neil Gibson has been given a two-and-a-half year extension to his contract by easily progressing to a third successive final.
The Nomads beat plucky JD Cymru South side Taffs Well 2-0 at the Deeside Stadium to stay on course to defend the title they won last year with a 10-9 penalty shoot-out success against Cardiff Met.
That victory made it back-toback titles and now they will shoot for a hat-trick when they face Bala Town in the final.
For the Nomads, it was goals from Callum Bratley and Michael Wilde that finally broke the brave resistance of mighty minnow Taffs Well.
After a goalless first half, Bratley opened the scoring in the 56th minute before Wilde wrapped things up a minute from time.
The Wellmen battled long and hard and were unfortune to go down to 10 men in the 85th minute when David Lyon picked up his second yellow card of the game.
“Credit to Taffs Well because they gave it a real go right to the end and made it a typical cup tie. We weren’t as clinical as we wanted to be and the final touch is just missing from our game at the moment,” said Nomads boss Gibson.
“But we’ve worked hard and got ourselves into another final.
“Bala are a good team and it is going to be a tough game because both teams are eyeing up silverware.”
Bala return to league action on Friday evening at home to Flint Town United; Caernarfon host Newtown. Bala have been drawn at home to Pontypridd United in the fourth round of the JD Welsh Cup (see full draw below).
In Cymru North action, Porthmadog suffered a home setback going down 1-2 to Guilsfield (see report, right) but have the chance to gain quick revenge with the return fixture at Guilsfield next week.