BALA TOWN moved up to third place in the JD Cymru Premier table after a 1-0 win against Connah’s Quay Nomads.
A solitary David Edwards free kick was enough to hand Bala victory against a 10-men Nomads following a red card for captain George Horan.
The match marked Nomads’ return to Deeside following an away trip to Barry Town as they looked to bounce back from a 1-0 loss at Jenner Park.
Andy Morrison made changes from that game as a raft of injuries and suspensions limited his selection options, with Jamie Mullan and Declan Poole starting in place of John Disney and Aron Williams who were suspended and injured respectively.
Nomads’ newest signing Paolo Mendes was handed his debut for the game, with the likes of Jordan Davies and Harry Owen on the bench.
Bala meanwhile named a familiar line up including goalkeeper Alex Ramsay, attacking midfielder Will Evans and prolific talisman Chris Venables.
The game started with little immediate action as both sides looked to establish their game plan without opening up at the back.
In the 8th minute, Craig Curran was looking for a way through in the Bala final third, but was unable to get a shot away at the Lakesiders looked to clear.
The first key moment for Nomads came in the 15th, when George Horan headed a well placed Jamie Mullan cross just over the Bala crossbar.
With 20 minutes played the score was goalless, with the discipline of both sides making the prospect of a goal look unlikely anytime soon.
But in the 26th minute, the game was turned by a red card for captain Horan, who was dismissed after making a last-man challenge as Bala looked to break.
An advantage was played with Bala putting the ball in the net, but this was ruled out for offside prompting referee Bryn Markham Jones to show Horan red and award a free kick.
And it was from the free kick that Bala took the lead, as David Edwards stepped up to place the set piece into the top right corner of the Nomads’ goal from around 25 yards out.
Nomads sought to regroup and adapt to Horan’s red, with Andy Morrison quickly making a change in the 30th introducing defender Tom Moore in place of striker Jamie Insall.
In the 39th, Bala nearly made it two if not for the woodwork, as Chris Venables sent an effort from the edge of the area onto the underside of the crossbar, with the ball bouncing away from goal to deny him.
The second half saw Nomads look for a way back to the game and largely block Bala’s attempts to get in front of the Connah’s Quay goal, once again making for a tight and cagey contest way past the hour mark.
It was then when Nomads got at goal via Byron Harrison, who headed close to goal in the 63rd only for keeper Ramsay to push it away for a corner which was cleared away.
In the 65th it was the turn of Declan Poole, who hit a good half volley from around 18 yards out, but it was held by the keeper.
After the 70th minute mark, Nomads moved to make a double substitution, bringing on Aeron Edwards and Jordan Davies in place of Poole and Mendes.
They joined to boost Nomads’ search for an equaliser, but as the 80th minute approached there had still been seldom chances at either end.
As time ran out, Connah’s Quay were in the Bala half at multiple occasions, but couldn’t find a way through on goal as three minutes of injury time arrived.
In the 91st, Bala nearly finished the game with a second goal via Chris Sang, who received a square ball from Venables to go clear in front of the Nomads’ goal from only around eight yards out.
But he was denied by an impressive save from Byrne, who managed to dive and block his effort to keep the score 0-1.
This would prove to be the last incident of the game as full time confirmed a rare home defeat for Connah’s Quay.
