VENABLES HAS EURO PLACE IN HIS SIGHTS
CHRIS Venables was on target once again to take his career league tally up to 210 as he scored a spectacular goal to give Bala Town a threepoint cushion in the race for second place in the JD Cymru Championship Conference.
The shoot-out between the Lakesiders and Newtown was always going to be crucial and both teams came into the game in fine form. The home side were unbeaten in six and the Robins hadn’t lost in their previous four.
It was a game of high stakes, with a place in the Europa League next season at stake for the side finishing second. It was the fifth time this season Newtown had failed to beat Bala and with only two games to go they will have to hope they slip up.
The 36-year-old Venables struck with an overhead kick after a Deann Ebbe cross from the left had caused problems in the Newtown defence. The master goalscorer needed no second invitation to strike and Dave
Jones had no hope in the Newtown goal.
Bala now lead
Newtown by three points and head to Caernarfon on Monday before finishing off their season with a home clash against
Penybont.
Newtown host
The New Saints tomorrow and end with a trip to Flint Town
United.
Anthony Limbrick’s TNS side, crowned champions weeks ago, turned on the style for their home fans with a 7-0 thrashing of Flint. There were one more goal for top scorer Declan McManus to take his league tally to 22, a hat-trick for Jordan Wiliams and further goals from Ryan Brobbel, Blaine Hudson and struck a hat-trick, Adrian Cieslewicz helped himself to two and Ben Clark.
In the other game in the Championship Conference, Caernarfon Town heaped more misery on JD Welsh Cup finalist Penybont as they beat them 1-0 thanks to an own goal in the 90th minute from Kostya Georgievsky.
Cardiff Met slid from first to fourth in the Play-Off Conference as they were beaten 2-0 at the Deeside Stadium by Connah’s Quay Nomads. Goals from Paulo Mendes and Byron Harrison earned the Nomads a victory that puts them in with a chance of topping the table with two games to go.
Haverfordwest are now on top thanks to a 2-0 home win over Barry
Town United. Jordan Davies scored both goals to take them back to the top.
Meanwhile, Aberystwyth Town hit Cefn Druids for six as they triumphed 6-0. There were six different scorers for the home side.
Llantwit Major are one win away from winning the JD Cymru South title after securing a 2-0 home win over Undy Athletic. The visitors kept the tension high by keeping a clean sheet in the first half, but were powerless to stop Cullen Kinsella opening the scoring six minutes after the break.
Then came the inevitable goal from Tom Walters, his 24th of the campaign, and the champagne was able to be taken out of the boxes and put into the fridge ready for next weekend. They are five points clear of Pontypridd Town with two games to go.
The Major will travel to Undy tomorrow where a win will earn them their first title at this level. They complete their campaign at Cwmbran Celtic on 30 April.
Ponty had to hope for a slip up by their title rivals to give them a hope of sneaking in.
They did at least keep up their winning ways with a 2-1 win at
Cambrian & Clydach Vale thanks to two goals in the opening five minutes from Drew Fahiya and Ian Traylor.
An 81st minute goal from Ryan Bevan earned Llanelli Town a notable 1-0 win at Briton Ferry Llansawel, while Taffs Well had an 85th minute strike from Je Shephard to thank for their 2-1 win at Swansea University.
Trefelin also won on the road, 2-1 at Goytre United and Risca, while
Cwmbran played out a 1-1 draw.
In the JD Cymru North, the newly crowned champions, Airbus UK Broughton were 4-2 winners at home against Gresford, while third-place Guilsfield hammered in four goals at home in their 4-0 win over Llanrhaeadr.
Holyhead Hotspur went one better at derby rivals Llangefni Town, where they won 5-0. Dylan Summers netted twice for Hotspur with captain Alex Jones, Dean Garmey and Jay Gibbs also finding the net.