Resilient Wingermakers’ Beat Bala Town To Go Back On Top Of The League
The Wingmakers’ third game in a week was this Friday night home clash against Bala Town. A win would put Airbus top of the league again, but with injury and suspension taking its toll on selection options, it would be a huge challenge.
Strong swirling wind and rain made playing conditions difficult, but the Wingmakers settled quickly, Ryan Wade having the first shot at goal within two minutes, followed by Mike Pearson heading wide. On eight minutes Ritchie Partridge curled a shot which just missed the top corner as the Wingmakers made a strong start.
On 10 minutes Sam Hart was booked for a firm challenge but Airbus were on top in terms of possession. On 18 minutes Steve Abbott headed over from a corner but the wind was making it tough for either side to dictate play.
A smart run by Ryan Wade cutting into the area from the left, saw him chip narrowly over on 28 minutes. The Wingmakers were also trying long-range shots, trying to take advantage of the uncertainty created by the wind.
It was 40 minutes before Bala’s first effort at goal, a testing shot from former Wales international Mark Jones forcing a save from James Coates. A minute later Dave Morley headed over as the visitors came into the game more.
A minute before half-time the Wingmakers finally made the breakthrough when a Lewis Short corner struck the far post, an fell into the path of Steve Abbott inside a crowded area. The forward fired an accurate low shot home to give Airbus a deserved 1-0 first-half lead.
Steve Abbott opened the scoring with his second goal this week
The visitors made a change at the break with Kieran Smith replacing former Wingmaker Ian Sheridan.
Bala’s Kenny Lunt was given a yellow card on 51 minutes for a late tackle on Glenn Rule. From the resulting free-kick both Sam Hart and Ritchie Partridge went close but their efforts were deflected away.
Against the run of play Bala were level on 53 minutes, when a typical long-range strike from Mark Connelly brought the game back to 1-1. It came out of nowhere, wind-assisted, and it was now the Wingmakers turn to battle the elements with Bala shooting at every opportunity.
On 68 minutes Mark Jones attempted a trademark long-range effort, kept out by the fingertips of Coates, before Stuart Jones went close. The away side, buoyed by their goal, were enjoying a spell of pressure. A minute later though, a trip on Ryan Wade in the area went seemingly unnoticed by the officials, with the Wingmakers entitled to wonder if luck was against them.
With quarter of an hour to go, pressure in and around the Bala area from Airbus paid off as the visitors fail to clear their lines.Ryan Wade was on hand to drive a shot past Ashley Morris to put the Wingmakers back in front at 2-1.
Ryan Wade scored the winner
With just over 10 minutes to go Bala replaced Lewis Codling with Stephen Brown. Using the wind Bala poured forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser. With five minutes to go Airbus made their first change with Aaron Hassall replacing Ritchie Partridge.
Conall Murtagh was booked for Bala with a minute to go as he caught Chris Budrys. Into stoppage time the visitors made their final change as Chris Mason come on in place of Dave Morley. The last few seconds saw another Welsh Premier League debut for one of the Wingmakers’ Academy stars as 17 year-old Myles Hart replaced Ryan Wade.
Despite intense Bala pressure, the Wingmakers held out for a well-earned, deserved three point in difficult circumstances.
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