Bala slipped to their first defeat of the season on Bank holiday Monday when a strong and resilient Newtown side snatched all 3 points with a second half winner. The Home side were on the back foot before the match started with 7 players sidelined on the injury list forcing Fish and Val into a number of changes to the starting line up.
Despite this the home side dominated early possession and a number of half chances were squandered when Tomas Jones had a shot tipped over and Emmanuel Osilaja failed to make a good contact with the goal at his mercy. An early booking for Tom Kelly did not help matters but the visitors were making little impression on the Bala goal. There was a penalty shout for handball inside the visitor’s area just before the interval which was waved away and the first half ended scoreless.
The second half began in similar fashion and Osilaja hits the post with a header which should have found the target. The visitors then began to look the better side and after Osilaja was substituted by Charlie Fisher they made the breakthrough on 69 minutes when Jolyon Harries slammed a shot home from only 6 yards out.
Despite every effort Bala could not find a reply and an excellent effort from Henry Evans was kept out by a good save from the keeper. Tom Kelly was then replaced by James Farr and the match deteriorated into a battle as 3 players were booked in quick succession.
The visitors held their control and produced a spirited performance to inflict a first defeat of the season on the home side.
It is going to be a tough few weeks ahead as the injury list is unlikely to improve in the short term. We travel to Porthmadog on Saturday for another huge local derby and then face another daunting trip to Denbigh Town the week after.
Cafodd Y Bala eu trechu am y tro cyntaf y tymor hwn ar ddydd Llun Gŵyl y Banc, wrth i dîm cryf a dygn o’r Drenewydd gipio’r tri phwynt gyda gôl fuddugol yn yr ail hanner.
Roedd y tîm cartref ar ei hôl hi cyn i’r gêm ddechrau, gyda saith chwaraewr allan oherwydd anafiadau, gan orfodi Fish a Val i wneud nifer o newidiadau i’r tîm cychwynnol. Er hynny, y tîm cartref oedd yn dominyddu’r meddiant yn y cyfnodau cynnar, ond cafodd nifer o gyfleoedd hannerol eu gwastraffu. Cafodd ergyd Tomas Jones ei harbed a’i gwthio dros y bar, tra methodd Emmanuel Osilaja â chael cyswllt da â’r bêl pan oedd y gôl ar ei drugaredd.
Ni wnaeth cerdyn melyn cynnar i Tom Kelly helpu’r sefyllfa, ond ychydig o argraff a wnaeth y tîm ymwelwyr ar gôl Y Bala. Ychydig cyn yr egwyl, roedd apêl am gic gosb am law yn ardal gosb y Drenewydd, ond gwrthodwyd yr apêl gan y dyfarnwr, ac aeth y ddau dîm i’r egwyl yn ddi-sgôr.
Dechreuodd yr ail hanner mewn ffordd debyg, ac fe darodd Osilaja’r post gyda pheniad a ddylai fod wedi taro’r targed. Yna dechreuodd y tîm ymwelwyr edrych fel yr ochr well, ac ar ôl i Osilaja gael ei ddisodli gan Charlie Fisher, daeth y Drenewydd o hyd i’r gôl ar y 69ain munud, pan darodd Jolyon Harries ergyd gref i’r rhwyd o ddim ond chwe llath.
Er gwaethaf pob ymdrech, ni allai Y Bala ddod o hyd i ateb. Cafodd ymdrech ardderchog gan Henry Evans ei chadw allan gan arbediad da gan y gôl-geidwad. Yna cafodd Tom Kelly ei ddisodli gan James Farr, a dirywiodd y gêm i frwydr, gyda thri chwaraewr yn cael eu cosbi mewn cyfnod byr.
Cadwodd y tîm ymwelwyr reolaeth ar y gêm a chynhyrchu perfformiad ysbrydoledig i roi’r golled gyntaf o’r tymor i’r tîm cartref.
Mae’n mynd i fod yn ychydig wythnosau anodd o’n blaenau, gan nad yw’r rhestr anafiadau yn debygol o wella yn y tymor byr. Rydym yn teithio i Borthmadog ddydd Sadwrn ar gyfer gêm leol enfawr arall, cyn wynebu taith anodd arall i Dinbych yr wythnos ganlynol.
