Bangor fought back from two nil down to beat Gwynedd rivals Bala Town 4-2 at Nantporth on Boxing Day.

But it was far from easy!

The pre match news saw Ryan Edwards recalled in midfield with Rob Jones on the bench. But that counted for very little inside three minutes as former blues grafter Mark Connolly's freekick was headed home by Stuart Jones to give the visitors a shock early lead.

The shock turned to horror ten minutes later as Connall Murtagh released Kieran Smith whose solo run and finish gave the black and whites a two nil advantage. It was the former Chester Nomads fourth goal of the season.

Bangor were shaken and gradually they stirred. On 21 minutes Sion Edwards latched onto a loose ball and drilled home beyond the despairing Lewis. With one Bangor left footer on the score sheet the other one responded. Les Davies gathered the ball on the left cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable thunderbolt beyond the now helpless Lewis.

And the half time score in damp conditions at Nantporth remained Bangor two Bala Town two.

HALF TIME 2-2: One change at the interval as Rob Jones came on for Joe Culshaw.

Goalscorer Sion Edwards nearly doubled his tally with a long range effort that Morris nearly let slip home. Then Dec Walker smashed another shot from distance but this crashed into the billboards next to the goal.

Former Wrexham defender Ryan Valentine went close for Bala and on the hour Steve Brown replaced goalscorer Smith in the visitors attack. Les Davies got his effort on target but Morris saved easily. The scoreline still even and very much all to play for.

On 71 minutes Bangor took the lead for the first time.

A Rob Jones long throw was headed on by Les Davies for Jamie Petrie to head home from close range for his fifth goal of the season, all in the Welsh Premier. Bala boss Colin Caton, a powerful centre half in his playing days, must have wondered how the diminutive Petrie got the better of his experienced centrebacks.

Four minutes later it was 4-2 to Bangor. A corner crossed for Anthony Miley to head home to the delight of the blues faithful.

Bala responded by replacing Mark Connolly with former Aberystwyth striker Lewis Codling and with ten minutes left on the clock young Jamie McDaid came on for goalscorer Jamie Petrie.

The visitors rallied but could not get the better of the Bangor defence. In the four added minutes young Corey Jones replaced Chris Jones and referee Lee Evans blew for time with the two goal lead still intact.

A hard fought win for Bangor which keeps City very much in the hunt for third place, despite the news that Newtown beat TNS at Latham Park.

And a fine way to bring the year to an end..