TNS 0 Bala Town 0

HONOURS ended even at Park Hall as TNS and Bala Town played out a goalless stalemate.

While the Saints carved the better openings the Lakesiders can feel hard done by having seen strong penalty claims rejected on the hour.

Bala were under the cosh early on as Alex Ramsay palmed a low drive from Leo Smith around the post on 12 minutes and five minutes later the Bala No1 produced another smart save to deny Danny Redmond.

Simon Spender was denied by the offside flag before debutant Adam Roscrow blazed over the bar as TNS maintained their bright start.

Blaine Hudson also blasted over the bar on 36 minutes but the Lakesiders weathered the storm and ended the first-half brightly.

Raul Correia tested TNS goalkeeper Paul Harrison just before the break with a well struck volley while Kieran Smith also fired straight at the Saints stopper as Bala ended the first-half on top.

The second-half proved a similarly tight affair with neither side managing to create any clear openings early on.

Ramsay had to be alert on the hour when Roscrow's deep left wing cross deceived all in the area with Spender's low shot on the far post scrambled away by the recovering Bala goalkeeper.

Adrian Cieslewicz's curling effort dipped just over the bar from the edge of the area as TNS upped the ante following the introduction of Greg Draper and Jamie Mullan.

TNS came to be increasingly dominant with Bala unable to get over the halfway line but their defence remained steadfast under growing pressure.

Ramsay comfortably gathered a tame headed effort from Ryan Astles on 71 minutes with the Saints defender escaping punishment moments later when the ball struck his arm in the home area just yards away from the referee.

Ramsay was again called into action on 74 minutes, producing a fine save low to his left to deny Cieslewicz's deflected 20 yard effort.

Two minutes later the Saints survived a scare when Ryan Pryce's free-kick was met by Chris Venables whose headed effort went just wide with Harrison rooted.

Bala almost victory at the death when Spender's throw back to Hudson saw Venables threaten to race onto the loose ball only for Harrison to bravely save the day as the match ended goalless.

TNS

Harrison, Marriott, Astles, Hudson, Spender, Redmond, Routledge, Smith, Cieslewicz, Robles, Roscrow. Subs: Williams, Davies, Ebbe, Draper, Mullan, Clark, Canavan

BALA TOWN

Ramsay, S Smith, Peate, Spittle, Pryce, Shannon, Kay, K Smith, Correia, Venables, Evans. Subs: Jones, Leslie, Gossett, Kelly, Mackreth