Following our 1-0 defeat to Connah's Quay Nomads in mid-week, the Lakesiders bounced back in style on Friday evening, as 10 man Bala overcame Aberystwyth Town at Park Avenue.
Despite an uphill battle from the very start, the Lakesiders stuck together and pulled out a superb performance to get the victory.
Red Card? What Red Card?
As all spectators started to settle to watch the match, there was already a huge turning point in the evening as our Captain Chris Venables was sent off within two minutes on his 500th league appearance. Following a challenge in the air with an Aber player, the referee deemed Venables to have deliberately elbowed his opponent and decided it was enough to give our Captain his marching orders, leaving almost everyone dumbfounded at the decision.
Despite going down to 10 men early on, the Lakesiders looked comfortable with the ball, creating numerous chances and eventually taking the lead! Lassana Mendes sent a perfect cross into the box from a corner, onto the head of Kieran Smith who made no mistake and headed home to give the Town the lead.
Peate Back At It Again!
The Lakesiders headed into the break with a 1-0 lead, with the hosts finding it hard to create many clear-cut chances against the 10 men of Bala.
It only took 12 second half minutes for Nathan Peate to charge into the box and send one of his trademark headers into the goal to double our lead! Another Lassana Mendes corner was swung in, and landed right onto the head of Peate, who guided his header into the right hand corner of the net, with Lewis Webb scrambling across trying to save the ball from going in.
We Don't Stop!
Another 12 minutes later and the Lakesiders were three to the good! This time, George Newell attempted to play a ball across the box to Ollie Shannon who was eagerly waiting to tap the ball home, but in came Jack Rimmer to knock the ball into the back of his own net, and the Town went further ahead with 20 minutes remaining.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered!
As we entered the final 15 minutes of the match, George Newell provided some brilliant hold up play for Lassana Mendes to push the ball forward into the box, and in came Louis Bradford to clatter into Mendes, giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Dave Edwards stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake, as he dispatched the penalty into the bottom left hand corner to all but seal the a 4-0 victory for the Town.
The hosts did however grab a goal back late on as Nathan Peate was adjudged to have fouled Steff Davies inside the box, and Jonathan Davies struck the ball down the middle to grab a consolation for the hosts.
Just a minute before the end, there was another great moment for our Academy as Elis Puw came on to make his senior debut for the club, as he replaced Dave Edwards, making him the Academy's second player to have made their senior debut this season!
Our attention now turns to Saturday 10th of September, as newly promoted Pontypridd United will visit Maes Tegid on Matchday Six of the Cymru Premier, as the Town look to go for back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Line-Ups:
Aberystwyth Town - Lewis Webb, Jack Rimmer, Louis Bradford, Sam Litchfield, Jack Thorn, Iwan Lewis, Niall Flint, Steff Davies, Charley Edge, Harri Horwood, Alex Darlington
Bala Town - Alex Ramsay, Calum Woods, Ross White, Nathan Peate, Naim Arsan, Ollie Shannon, Kieran Smith, Dave Edwards, George Newell, Lassana Mendes, Chris Venables
Goals:
Aberystwyth Town - Jonathan Davies (85)
Bala Town - Kieran Smith (23), Nathan Peate (57), Jack Rimmer OG (68), Dave Edwards (76)
Substitutes:
Aberystwyth Town - Sam Phillips > Alex Darlington (46), Jonathan Evans > Niall Flint (82)
Bala Town - Adam Roscrow > George Newell (77), Paul Rutherford > Kieran Smith (83), James Davies > Lassana Mendes (83), Elis Puw > Dave Edwards (90+3)
Yellow Cards:
Aberystwyth Town - Jack Rimmer (75), Louis Bradford (88), Jonathan Davies (90+2)
Bala Town - Alex Ramsay (71), Nathan Peate (84)
Red Cards:
Bala Town - Chris Venables (2)
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