Bala Town’s 2017 Welsh Cup Winners: Where are they now?
Stuart Jones of Bala Town scores his sides sixth goal against Penybont. Penybont v Bala Town JD Cymru Premier match at Bryntirion Park on the 7th September. Lewis Mitchell/YCPD.
The 130th instalment of the Welsh Cup final in 2017 was a memorable one, as Bala Town won the cup for the first time in their history with a 2-1 victory over The New Saints.
The Lakesiders fell behind ten minutes into the second half with goalkeeper Ashley Morris finally beaten, as Steve Saunders squared to Greg Draper to tap into an empty net.
Colin Caton then made a key substitution, bringing on former Fulham and Wrexham player Jordan Evans, who equalised from the edge of the box with little over ten minutes to go.
Striker Kieran Smith then headed home Chris Venables’ cross to earn Bala Town their first ever Welsh Cup triumph.
We take a look back at the Lakesiders’ lineup and where they are now.
Ashley Morris
Morris put in a heroic display in the final, making crucial saves to keep the Lakesiders in the game. The first came to deny Greg Draper’s first-half bullet header, while the goalkeeper was equal to Adrian Cieslewicz’s solo effort and Jamie Mullan’s glorious chance to double The New Saints’ lead.
Keeping the Saints to just one goal was no mean feat and Morris’ performance was the platform for Bala Town’s victory.
The goalkeeper is currently in his seventh campaign with the Lakesiders and has notched over 200 appearances for the club, but was allowed to join Penybont on loan in January 2020.
Anthony Stephens
FAW Cymru’s match report saw Anthony Stephens as their “stand-out player”, who “did a great job in marshalling Jon Routledge”, a task that is still a huge challenge for any Cymru Premier player to this day.
Keeping The New Saints’ midfield metronome as quiet as possible was paramount to Bala Town’s success in the final and was key in limiting the Saints to just one goal.
Stephens is another who is still at the club, after he returned to the Lakesiders from Bangor City in January 2019.
Stuart Jones
Another who has over 200 appearances for Bala Town, Stuart Jones was a key part in the club’s Welsh Cup winning defence, conceding just four goals in the campaign.
Facing a TNS side including the likes of Ryan Brobbel, Jamie Mullan, Greg Draper, Adrian Cieslewicz and Aeron Edwards, Bala Town’s defence proved equal to the challenge.
Much like Morris and Stephens, Jones is still contracted to the club, but was allowed to go out on loan to Flint Town at the start of the season.
Stuart J. Jones
Jones’ partner in the Bala Town defence was namesake, Stuart J. Jones.
The experience of the defender would have been invaluable for the Lakesiders in the final, especially during spells of Saints pressure.
The first in the lineup who is no longer at the club, Jones moved to hometown club Aberystwyth Town at the beginning of this season and now has over 400 Cymru Premier appearances.
Ian Sheridan
Ian Sheridan was in his sixth season at the club during the Lakesiders’ Welsh Cup win.
The forward was part of a strong Lakesiders attack, alongside Kieran Smith and Lee Hunt, with Chris Venables operating in a deeper role than in the current Bala setup.
Sheridan has since made a permanent move to Newtown, for whom he scored against his former club in February.
Kieran Smith
Kieran Smith will always be remembered by Bala Town fans for his contribution in the Welsh Cup final.
The striker headed Chris Venables’ cross home with just five minutes left to play, earning his side a famous victory.
Smith is another who is still at the club, as he returned to the Lakesiders in February 2018, after a brief stint with Tasman United.
Lee Hunt
Third in the all-time Cymru Premier top goalscorers list behind Marc Lloyd Williams and Rhys Griffiths, Lee Hunt was a crucial part of Bala Town’s Welsh Cup success.
The striker scored twice in the 3-1 semi-final win against Caernarfon Town, after the Lakesiders fell behind to Stuart J. Jones’ own-goal, while Hunt also went close to giving his side the lead in the final.
Lee Hunt is no longer with the club, but will undoubtedly go down in Cymru Premier folklore.
Chris Venables
From one goal-scorer in Lee Hunt to another in Chris Venables. The striker currently leads the Cymru Premier top scorers chart with 22 goals, averaging a goal every 102 minutes.
Venables proved his quality in the final win over The New Saints, putting in a perfect cross for Kieran Smith to head home the winner.
The striker is still with the Lakesiders and is in remarkable form in the Cymru Premier.
John Irving
John Irving was another who added experience to the Bala Town Welsh Cup winning side.
The defender was in his second spell with the Lakesiders, after a two-year spell at Auckland City.
Despite leaving the club at the end of the 2017 season, Irving made over 150 career appearances for Bala Town.
David Thompson
Bala Town’s left-back in the Welsh Cup final, David Thompson has become a regular in the Welsh football pyramid, having also played for Rhyl, Llandudno and Bangor City.
The Liverpudlian spent three seasons at Maes Tegid, winning the Welsh Cup in his penultimate season with the Lakesiders.
Thompson signed for Aberystwyth Town in January 2020, adding experience to the Seasiders’ defence.
Nathan Burke
Operating at the heart of Bala Town’s midfield was Nathan Burke.
The Lakesiders gave little time on the ball for the likes of Jon Routledge, Aeron Edwards and Ryan Brobbel to pick out passes forward, which was key to their 2-1 final win.
Burke is another who is still at the club, and is now in his fifth season at Maes Tegid.
Ryan Wade
Coming on as one of Colin Caton’s second-half substitutions was Ryan Wade, who replaced Ian Sheridan with twenty minutes to play.
It was just seven minutes after Wade’s introduction that saw Jordan Evans equalise and the tides turn in Bala’s favour, as Kieran Smith headed a winner.
Wade is no longer at the club, leaving at the end of the 2016-2017 season and most recently played for Llandudno.
Jordan Evans
A key moment in the final was Colin Caton’s substitution in the 65th minute, with Jordan Evans replacing Lee Hunt.
The former Fulham and Wrexham player found the Lakesiders’ equaliser, with a deflected effort from the edge of the box.
Evans, now 24, joined Airbus UK Broughton at the start of this season, after a season with Cefn Druids.
Ryan Valentine
Much like Stuart J. Jones, Ryan Valentine’s experience would have been invaluable to the Lakesiders’ Welsh Cup campaign.
Having played in the Football League for Darlington, Wrexham and Hereford, the presence of Valentine would have been an asset to Caton’s side, despite being an unused sub in the final.
Currently still at the club, the defender is in his seventh season with Bala Town.
Mark Connolly
Another of Colin Caton’s unused subs was midfielder Mark Connolly.
Connolly spent seven years at Maes Tegid, after signing from Chester in the 2010-2011 season, but left the club in July 2017 to sign for Rhyl.
A stalwart of the Cymru Premier, Connolly most recently turned out for Llandudno, before retiring in 2019.
Ryan Goldston
The final unused sub in the Bala Town lineup was Ryan Goldston, who was just 18 at the time.
The goalkeeper has featured for Wales’ U18’s squad, despite starting out as a left-winger very early in his career.
Goldston now plays for Ruthin Town in the Cymru North.
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)
