Archives Classic: Last-gasp goal sends heartbroken Bala Town tumbling out of Europe

Differdange (in red) celebrate their last gasp winner

Having covered North Wales football for close on 40 years. I’ve attended and reported on hundreds if not thousands of games across the pyramid.
Here’s another in a series of classics from the archives

Many of these archive classics put a smile on my face, but this one only makes me feel sad.

Bala were seconds away from progressing in Europe when Differdange 03 of Luxembourg scored a late, late goal from nowhere to destroy the dreams of Colin Caton and his Lakesiders on a sunny evening at Rhyl’s Belle Vue.

JULY 9 2015
EUROPA LEAGUE

Bala Town 2
FC Differdange 03 1
(Differdange win 4-3 on aggregate)

There was last-gasp heartbreak for Bala at Belle Vue when Differdange striker Omar Er Rafik netted the goal in the final seconds of added time which put the Luxembourg side into the next round of the Europa League.
Trailing 3-1 from the opening leg of this first qualifying round tie, Town put one foot firmly in the next stage when Ian Sheridan put them 2-0 up in the 83rd minute.
Entering the 94th minute, Bala were through and on the verge of clinching a meeting with Turkish giants Trabzonspor, but football can be such a cruel game and so it proved again as Differdange plundered the most undeserved of winners.
The visitors had made no impact in the second half and were drinking at the last-chance saloon when a hopeful overhead kick in the box landed on the right boot of danger man Er Rafik, who volleyed past Ashley Morris to send the travelling party into raptures.
Bala made a positive start and in the 13th minute a poor clearance from Differdange keeper Julien Weber rebounded into the path of Sheridan inside the box.
The Town striker was in an offside position but was allowed to challenge for the ball as it came off an opponent, however the Lakesiders’ first leg goal scorer was unable to capitalise.
The visitors looked lively in attack and created the first clear chance in the 17th minute when Moroccan Er Rafik dragged his shot wide from 15 yards.
Soon after Jorge Ribiero blasted over from just outside the box, then Frenchman Gauthier Caron lashed a long range free kick off target.
On the half-hour Bala worked the away keeper for the first time when Mark Connolly let fly with a fierce 20-yard volley which Weber dealt with fairly comfortably.
Moments later Sheridan went down in the area but no penalty was given, Conall Murtagh scooping the loose ball high and wide.
Mark Jones then hit one just over as the Welsh Premier side stepped up the pressure.
Late in the first half the hosts forced four corners in quick succession, the first of which saw Weber flap badly at Jones’ delivery and there were appeals for a penalty in the ensuing scramble, but Differdange survived.
The last major action of the opening period saw Differdange’s grey-haired veteran Philippe Lebresne hammer an instinctive volley past the post.

Half-time: Bala 0 Differdange 0 (1-3)

Bala needed an early goal in the second half to unsettle the hosts and they got it after just four minutes.
A foul on Kieran Smith on the right-hand edge of the area led to a free kick which Anthony Stephens thumped into the defensive wall and Murtagh headed in the loose ball.
It was all the Lakesiders now, Ryan Valentine’s scorcher flying wide before Smith should have done better from inside the box, but spooned high over the bar.
The game then lost some of its edge as Differdange appeared content to sit on what they had and Bala struggled to break them down.
However, the Maes Tegid men never gave in and an outrageous effort from distance by Connolly caused Weber some anxiety before the WPL outfit took a decisive 2-0 lead seven minutes from time..
Weber went down low to keep out Connolly’s low drive, but Sheridan netted the rebound from an angle to send the Town fans wild.
The seconds were counting down and Bala were on the verge of their first-ever victory in a European tie when Er Rafik thrust the dagger into their hearts.

Bala Town: Ashley Morris, Ryan Valentine, Anthony Stephens, Rob Pearson, Tony Davies, Conall Murtagh, Mark Connolly, Mark Jones, David Thompson, Ian Sheridan, Kieran Smith.

FC Differdange 03: Julien Weber, Ante Bukvic, Andre Rodrigues, Philippe Lebresne, Mathias Janisch, Tom Siebenaler, Geoffrey Franzoni, Jorge Ribiero (Dejvid Sinani 72), Omar Er Rafik, Caron Gauthier (Goncalo Almeida 64), Jordan Yeye.