Chris Venables: Bala Town skipper celebrates 200th goal and European qualification
- Published
Wales C International Chris Venables is the Cymru Premier's top scorer this season with 24 goals
Bala Town captain Chris Venables had plenty of reasons to celebrate his side's 4-1 win at Barry Town in the Cymru Premier.
Venables' 34th-minute strike was not only the first of his three goals at Jenner Park on Saturday but also his 200th career goal in Welsh football's top flight.
The 35-year-old's hat-trick also secured Bala's place in the Europa League next season.
"We're thrilled to bits," he said.
"We had a fantastic European campaign last year and obviously the main goal is to achieve that every year.
"We can't wait to go and play in Europe."
It will be Bala's seventh European campaign and last season the Lakesiders created history by winning a tie for the first time.
Venables scored the winner against Malta's Valletta in the Europa League before they bowed out 2-0 to Standard Liege in the second qualifying round.
His Cymru Premier career has taken in stints with Caersws, Welshpool, Llanelli and Aberystwyth Town before his move to Bala in July 2016.
The former Shrewsbury Town trainee - last season's Cymru Premier Player of the Year - joins a select band of players who have scored more than 200 goals in the competition.
Marc Lloyd Williams, Rhys Griffiths, Michael Wilde, and Lee Hunt are the other players in the 200-plus club.
"It means a lot and it's a big milestone," Venables told BBC Sport Wales.
"I'm now only one of a few who have done that and to be alongside players who've done that, and who I respect so much and have done so well in the league, is a really big achievement and something I'm really proud of."