BALA Town suffered heartache in Europe again as a last-gasp equaliser by Paide knocked them out of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday evening.

Colin Caton’s men were seconds away from taking this first round qualifier to a penalty shoot-out when 19-year-old Oskar Hoim tried his luck from just outside the area and the ball flew into the top corner giving keeper Joel Torrance no chance.

It was rough luck on the Lakesiders who competed well against the Estonian professional club in both legs.

Bala scored late on to give themselves a fighting chance when the lost 2-1 in the first leg at Park hall a week earlier but the boot was on the other foot this time around at the Parnu Kalevi Stadium.

Bala started with real intent and created an early chance when Louis Robles put Osebi Abadaki through but his shot sailed over the bar.

They continued to press and were rewarded when Nathan Peate headed home from a corner to make it all square on aggregate.

The visitors were playing with confidence and went agonisingly close again when Abadaki beat his man down the left and put in a cross from the byline which ran into the path of Lassana Mendes but he fluffed his lines and blazed his effort  over the bar.

At the other end, the hosts created a chance from a corner but the header was just off target.

But Bala were offering the greater threat and they went close again on 35 minutes when Ross White’s header put George Newell through on goal, but the number nine was unable to keep his shot down.

The half ended with a flurry of yellow cards with the hosts’ Patrik Kristal booked for a lunging challenge on Newell and Joseph Saliste cautioned for a late challenge on Alex Downes.

Bala keeper Torrance was also yellow carded for time wasting.

It was nip and tuck in the second half with so much on the line and clear-cut chances were few and far between until Kieran Smith, back on a short term deal with the Lakesiders, whipped in a ball from the right on 70 minutes into the path of Newell, but his headed effort sailed wide.

They threatened again moments later when Abadaki attempted to turn provider as he found Smith at the back post, but his header was easy for the keeper to collect.

It was heart in mouth stuff when Paide grabbed an equaliser on the night on 75 minutes when a ball from the right went all the way across the front of Torrance’s goal but luckily there was no one to tap home.

Gutsy Bala went close again in the closing stages when Robles swung a ball in from the left and Newell beat his man to the ball, but again failed to direct his header on target.

The hosts created a flurry of chances in added on time but the ball somehow stayed out of the back of the net so cue 30 minutes of extra time.

Bala went close to taking the lead again in the 99th minute when Josh Ukek’s free kick skimmed the outside of the post but they were dealt a blow when Alex Downes was sent off in the second half of extra time.

And Paide rubbed salt in the wounds when Hoim popped up with the very late equaliser to deny Bala a chance of winning a penalty shootout.