Match Report BALA TOWN 0 LLANELLI 1

A 24th minute goal by Rhys Griffiths confirmed the Reds fourth place in the table and also ensured a home tie in the play-offs scheduled for May.

The visitors made one enforced change to the side which had earned a creditable point against The New Saints, with Ashley Evans suspended after his red card in that game being replaced by Jordan Follows.

Heavy rain before and during the match turned the already muddy Maes Tegid surface into even more of a glue pot, and as a consequence, the ball spent an awful lot of time in the air.

Neither keeper was seriously troubled in the opening stages, before Griffiths struck when he connected with a powerful near post header from a well flighted Craig Williams corner to find the net via the inside of the back post.

Stuart Jones and Lee Surman were excellent in the middle of the Reds rearguard and the Lakesiders attack were finding it difficult to offer any effective goal threat, and in fact it was Griffiths who went closest to increasing the lead with a shot inches past the upright with goalkeeper Terry McCormick scrambling.

A surging second half run by Chris Thomas from deep in his own half took him into the opposing area, but McCormick bravely saved at his feet to prevent a certain goal.

On the stroke of full time, Bala were reduced to ten men when captain Mark Jones was shown a red card by referee Mark Whitby for a two-footed lunge on Williams, and the visitors came away with the three points which put daylight between themselves and their opponents.

MATCH STATS.

BALA TOWN; McCormick; Irving; Collins (Jeffries, 81) S. Jones; Williams; Murtagh;

Connolly; M. Jones ©; Edwards; Sheridan; Brown (Mason, 70); Subs. not

used; Doran; Darlington; Pullman.

LLANELLI; Richards; Thomas; Grist; Jones; Surman; Venables; Bowen; Corbisiero;

Follows (Moses, 70); Griffiths; Williams; Subs. not used; Llewellyn; Secker;

S.Evans; Legg.

SCORER; Llanelli – Griffiths, 24.

YELLOW CARDS; Bala Town – Connolly; Sheridan; S. Jones.

Llanelli – Thomas; Venables.

RED CARD; Bala Town – M. Jones.

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Lee Surman.

REFEREE; Mr. Mark Whitby (Swansea).

ATTENDANCE; 160.