BALA have almost cemented third spot in the JD Cymru Premier Championship table after they drew 1-1 against Caernarfon Town at Maes Tegid.

The Lakesiders were eight points clear of the Canaries going into Friday night’s fixture, but manager Colin Caton wasn’t happy with his team’s wastefulness in front of goal, especially in the first half which they dominated.

He said: “I thought we should have been five or six goals up at half time, we buried them.

“But then they’ve played well without Kell (Absalom) making any saves for about 40 minutes of the second half

“Anybody here today knows that we should have won the game, they haven’t had one clear-cut chance and Kell’s not made one save in the game.

“If you don’t take your chances in football you always come to rue the ones you’ve missed and you get punished.

“We’ve let them play through, conceded a corner and conceded a soppy goal which is not good enough.”

Both games in phase 1 finished 1-1 between these two teams but it looked like being a different story on Friday as Bala created numerous chances in the first 10 minutes.

Naim Arsan capitalised on a mistake to go one-on-one with the last defender, but his ball across to George Newell was blocked by the retreating defender.

Osebi Abadaki then latched onto a long ball forward to unleash a shot on goal, but Cofi keeper Lewis Webb blocked with his feet.

Abadaki sliced an effort off his weak foot wide of the post as the pressure built.

More chances followed as Newell headed Iwan Roberts’ cross over the bar, Naim Arsan had two goals ruled out - one for a foul in the build-up and the other for offside, and a Roberts half-volley from the edge of the area was clawed out of the air by Webb.

In a rare foray upfield, Caernarfon’s best chance fell to Sion Bradley who cut inside from the left but sent his curling effort wide of the mark.

Bala kept pressing and were finally rewarded on 40 minutes when George Newell continued his scoring streak when he broke the deadlock with a close range finish from Abadaki’s wayward shot.

It was no less than the Lakesiders deserved but, as they went in search of a second goal after the break, they were pegged inside five minutes.

Bradley’s corner from the left flew threw a crowd of Bala defenders and landed at Adam Davies’ feet for an easy finish.

The visitors enjoyed far more of the play in the second half without really troubling keeper Kelland Absalom which means Caernarfon are yet to register a win against Bala with three draws in nine clashes.