BALA Town boss Colin Caton was left scratching his head over how his side had lost by five clear goals away against Bangor City on Friday evening.The Lakesiders created enough chances to have won the game, but somehow the home defence resolutely claimed a clean sheet, whilst a Luke Wall brace capped a fine nap hand of goals at the other end.

The defeat equalled the Lakesiders’ worst-ever defeat in the Welsh Premier, also at Bangor in November 2012, but Caton was not too downhearted after watching their six-match unbeaten run collapse.

“It was a very strange game,” said Caton. “I am always critical of the defenders, but if the forwards had taken their chances we could still have won this match 9-5!“Their first two goals were critical, but we have had some great chances in the game, and at the end of the day, if you let in five goals, you need to score six to win.

“I’m not going to be too critical of the lads, but defensively we must to better.”

With central defenders Stuart Jones and namesake Stuart J Jones both missing due to injuries, Evan Horwood and Will Bell started as centre halves for the Lakesiders, and with only two fully fit players on the subs’ bench it was going to be difficult.

A bright start from both sides saw Steven Hewitt fire wide from distance, and Bala forced a couple of corners, but the hosts opened their account on 13 minutes.

Veteran Gary Taylor Fletcher was in the right place to tap the ball home beyond Ashley Morris from Luke Wall’s low cross.

City crucially doubled the lead eight minutes later when a high cross from the dangerous Wall was headed over keeper Morris by Hewitt to put City two-up.

Bangor’s Danny Holmes and Taylor Fletcher both fired at goal, but Bala were still very much in the game at this stage.

Matthew Hall did well to keep out Les Davies’ header as he got on the end of a Mike Hayes cross, and then the young keeper claimed a shot from Jordan Evans.

At the other end, Danny Holmes fired narrowly wide, but moments later Paul Connolly made a dramatic goal line clearance to deny the lively Mike Hayes.

Chris Venables had the ball in the back of the net for the Lakesiders a minute later, but it was ruled out for an alleged foul.

Bala began the second half brightly and from a free-kick on the edge of the box Evan Horwood fired on target, but Hall made a fine save to keep the lead intact.

The Lakesiders threatened again when Jordan Evans picked out Mike Hayes, but he missed from close range - and moments later Hayes headed over the home goal.

The Bala chances kept coming as Hayes latched onto a through ball from Nathan Burke but sliced wide - but for City a Luke Wall shot hit the post, and Damien Allen’s long range effort was gathered by Morris.

After all the pressure and chances, City hit back with two goals in five minutes.

Dean Rittenberg beat Morris with a right footed curler from the left edge of the box on 65 minutes, and it became 4-0 when Luke Wall added to his two assists with a calm finish beyond the exposed Morris.

Bala still pushed on for a consolation, and a Will Bell bullet header was solidly pushed out by Hall, who had delivered a man of the match display in the City goal.

With three minutes left Bala’s misery was complete as a superb strike from the very impressive Wall crashed into the back of the net to complete the scoring - and a phase one double over Caton’s men.

BANGOR CITY: M Hall, P Connolly, T Kennedy, L Wall, A Miley, G Harry, G Taylor-Fletcher (B Shaw 67 minutes), D Allen (G Williams (90’+3), S Hewitt, D Rittenberg (J Demetriou 77’), D Holmes. Subs not used: C Roberts (gk), A Cayola, S Jones, C Owen.

BALA TOWN: A Morris, R Valentine, E Horwood, W Bell, C Venables, D Thompson, N Burke (J Jones 89’), J Evans (I Sheridan 76’), M Hayes, G Rule, L Davies. Subs not used: S Fisher, L Owens, A Jones. Attendance: 372.