Bala Town fell short against Mold Alexandra in a North division clash that shifted the balance at the top. The visitors secured a 4-2 victory on Saturday, leaving the hosts to ponder a performance that unraveled after the break. And here's the thing, the 19th-minute goal from Simmonds was the last thing I saw before the break, but the second half told a different story.
D. Simmonds gave Bala the lead in the 19th minute, a moment that seemed to settle the crowd before the whistle blew. To be fair, Mold responded quickly through L. Hogan just before the interval, erasing the deficit with a composed finish.
By then, Mold had taken control, firing three goals in a span of eight minutes to put the result beyond doubt. C. Fisher opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, followed swiftly by H. Cartwright and S. Duffy in consecutive actions. It was a tactical shift that Bala could not answer, as the visitors ran the show without fear of the counter-attack.
Bala managed to salvage a point of pride late on, with L. Gregson pulling one back in the 83rd minute. The goal offered little comfort, however, as the damage had been done long before the final whistle. The hosts ground out the win in spirit, but the three points remained firmly with the visitors.
The result leaves Mold in third place and Bala in fourth, with both sides having played nine games. The points difference will now be the deciding factor for anyone chasing the top spot. They cannot afford another slip if they hope to close the gap at the summit.
Mold arrive with momentum, having won four of their last five outings to maintain their unbeaten run. This encounter proved that consistency is fleeting in this division, where one mistake ends it.
