The New Saints 3 Bala Town 1

Nathaniel MG Cup, quarter final

BALA Town bowed out of the Nathaniel MG Cup at the quarter final stage, beaten 3-1 by the New Saints at Park Hall on Wednesday evening.

The JD Cymru champions’ reward is a trip to Barry Town United with Aberystwyth Town hosting Cardiff City in the other semi final.

The Lakesiders fashioned the first chance in the fourth minute when George Newell beat the offside trap to break down the right but his effort struck the side netting.

At the other end, Blaenau Ffestiniog’s Sion Bradley was denied an opener by Bala keeper Ryan Jones but the former Caernarfon Town player did manage to break the deadlock with 20 minutes on the clock.

After being fouled on the edge of the penalty area, he stepped up to take the free-kick himself, leaving Jones rooted to the spot with a finish into the bottom corner.

Bala went close from another set piece on the half hour, George Newell’s effort deflected behind for a corner as the half developed into a finely-balanced cup tie.

And they nearly equalised from the resulting flag kick when Hussein Mehasseb, who scored Bala’s late winner on their last visit to Park Hall, headed just wide.

It continued to swing end to end with the Saints on top and they almost doubled their tally when the influential Bradley stuck another fine free kick against the bar and to safety.

After a slow start to the second half, the visitors drew level on 55 minutes, Osebi Abadaki latching on to a Mehasseb through ball down the right to deliver a pinpoint cross to Newell to fire home from the edge of the six-yard box.

And they nearly took the lead seven minutes later when a free kick by Lassana Mendes found Nathan Peate in the area but his header sailed agonisingly wide of the woodwork.

That proved to be a decisive moment in the tie as the home side regained their lead five minutes later, Aramide Oteh latching onto the loose ball inside the penalty area to stroke a first-time finish past Jones into the side of the net.

And the same man found the back of the net again five minutes from time to take the game away from the Lakesiders, striking the ball beneath Jones after running on to a dangerous pass by Rory Holden.

It turned out to be a comfortable result for the Saints in the end in a game in which Bala had their moments.

Bradley said after the match: “Great result after a hard game against Bala once again.

“They beat us here last month or the one before so it was important that we got through tonight and on now to the semis.”