BALA will have to make their way through the play-offs to secure European football next season after being outplayed by The New Saints in the Welsh Cup Final on Sunday.

The Lakesiders were big underdogs going in the showcase game at Bangor’s Nantporth Stadium after TNS comfortably won the JD Cymru Premier with only one defeat in 32 fixtures, whereas Bala were unable to pick up a single win in the second half of the season, meaning they wouldn’t finish fifth in the league.

Bala competed well in the first half and only trailed by Declan McManus’ goal but Craig Harrison’s men cut loose after the break with five goals to exact some revenge for their defeat to Bala in the 2017 final.

TNS started brightly with Josh Daniels heading wide and Bala keeper Alex Ramsay making a tremendous save to deny Danny Redmond from long range.

They kept pushing and made the breakthrough on 19 minutes, Redmond pouncing on a defensive mistake to feed the ball to McManus who finished from close range.

Bala responded and nearly equalised moments later when Dave Edwards’ cross found his skipper Chris Venables who leapt above his marker to connect with his header but Saints goalkeeper Connor Roberts made the stop.

More TNS chances followed with Saints captain Chris Marriott unleashing a free kick which flashed wide and Josh Daniels forcing Ramsay into a marvellous diving save.

It looked as if TNS would run away with the game at this point but Bala finished the half strongly.

They had a strong shout for a penalty waved away before Roberts made a flying save to keep out a sweetly-struck free kick by Edwards.

Ollie Shannon sent a curler over the bar after linking up with Venables as Bala pushed for an equaliser early in the second half but they found themselves further behind when Redmond jinked his way towards goal, rounded Ramsay and walked the ball into the back of the net.

And it was game over on 55 minutes when Ryan Brobbel curled the ball into the bottom of the far corner after being put clear down the left.

TNS continued to boss proceedings despite Bala offering the occasional threat but they had to wait until the closing stages to rug more salt into the Lakesiders’ wounds.

Jordan Williams made it 4-0 on 85 minutes, rounding Ramsay to finish after latching on to a bad back pass by Edwards.

Adrian Cieslewicz used his pace to fire past Ramsay two minutes later before Brobbel bagged his brace in stoppage time with a deft chip over Ramsay to better Cardiff’s 5-0 win against Rhyl 25 years ago.

Credit to Bala, they gave it their all but it wasn’t to be at Nantporth.