BALA TOWN ......................... 2 NEWTOWN .......... , ................. 4

BALA Town’s season came to a crashing end as they were beaten by Newtown in the JD Cymru Premier play-off semifinal.

It was a ninth game in a row without a win for the Lakesiders and came five days after they were beaten 6-0 in the JD Welsh Cup final. They conceded 22 goals in the nine games, scoring a mere eight in return.

Two goals each from Aaron Williams and Albanian striker Zeli Ismail put Newtown one win away from qualifying for a third season of European football when they meet the winners of last night’s semifinal between Cardiff Met and Haverfordwest County.

Williams made it 18 goals for the season in all competitions with his double, although his first only came after Bala goalkeeper Harri Lloyd had first saved his 15th minute-penalty, awarded after a handball against Naim Arsan. But Williams followed up to tap home the rebound and give The Robins an early lead.

Bala hit back with a goal from George Newell in the 37th minute following a mix-up in the Newtown defence. Ismail then edged the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time with a flicked effort that hit the post before going into the net off Lloyd.

Having got back into the scoring groove with his first strike following a seven-match drought, Williams extended the lead to 3-1 eight minutes into the second half as he turned in a Louis Robles cross from close range.

Newell’s second goal, heading home a Ross White cross in the 71st minute, gave Bala, who won the Nathaniel MG Cup earlier in the season, a chance of turning the tide. It wasn’t to be, though, as another cruel twist saw Ismail’s shot deflect off team-mate Henry Cowans 10 minutes later to restore the twogoal lead for Newtown.