| City were looking to continue their recent good form against the Somerset side. Last season we faced them four times, won three and drew one. There was also the aborted trip to Claverton Down for the FA Cup replay when they forgot to put fifty pence in the meter and the floodlights didn't come on, so over the past twelve months we've gotten to know each other quite well. |
| The weather tonight couldn't have been further from the baking sunshine that we enjoyed at Bedford on Saturday. Continuous rain sheeting down across Meadow Park pretty much without letting up over the course of the ninety minutes. Of course, had the game been away then that might've posed a problem for the crowd of just under four hundred but as it happened, everyone went home dry and happy. |
| For the second game running City were forced to field an unfamiliar front line. Where Andy Hoskins and Jimmy Cox had netted more than sixty goals between them during the last campaign, at Bedford Lee Davis and Matt Aubrey looked as though they'd struggle to get any. Aubrey looks as though he lacks confidence and speed of thought in front of goal whilst Davis is just too slight for the hurly burly of the Southern League. |
| Elsewhere in the City side Chris Burns had failed to recover from the knock that he picked up on Saturday and was replaced by Keith Knight. The veteran winger went onto the left so Chris Thompson joined up with namesake Marvin in the heart of defence to form a "Thompson & Thompson" partnership. Tintin and Snowy were on the bench. |
| The Team Bath squad boast an incredible FOUR goalkeepers. Tonight Darren Chitty was between the sticks (he also played the game at this stage last season) but they can also call upon ex-Tiger Ali Hines, Ryan Northmore (from their record breaking FA Cup team) and former Aston Villa reserve Antoni Pecora. We have just Matt Bath! |
| On the field Luke Prince had completed his 'degree' and moved to last season's Champions Redditch during the closed season as they fielded a team which was virtually unrecognisable from the one who were beaten 3-1 in April. Just Marc Canham and Matt Townley were names that I recognised from previous meetings and there were a plethora of foreign named students. People grumble about the taxes being used to field a professional football team, but it wouldn't be so bad if they were just British!!! |
| The bookies had offered odds of 4/1 for Bath just to win after they'd been soundly beaten 0-5 at home by Kings Lynn just three days earlier. The way they started the game suggested that they'd all put their student grants on such generous odds as City were overwhelmed by the super fit academics. |
| The only respite the Tigers had was a pitch lentgh run from Lee Smith, but the young wing back couldn't produce a good enough cross as the chance came to nothing. City did well to block one attack and minutes later there looked like danger again until midfielder Tom webb appeared at the far post to divert the ball away from the predatory striker Tomas Jaukovic. |
| The game was little more than ten minutes old when Aubrey stepped on the gas to put pressure on a defender but seem to either land awkwardly or pull up suddenly and his game was brought to a premature conclusion. Instead of throwing on Karl Bayliss in a like for like move the number twelve board was held up and Jimmy Cox was introduced into the fray. |
| They really ought've gone one-nil up when a deep cross found Neil Saunders' late run at the far post. Unmarked and with Matty Bath spectating he glance the ball wide with the goal gaping in front of him. |
| When we did get the ball we did our best to give it back as on one occasion central defender Neil Griffiths tried to play the ball out but was caught in possesion by a robust challenge. His attempt to retrieve the ball was deemed a foul by the referee and the resultant free kick looped up off the top of the wall and bounced over the bar with Bath stood watching. |
| A one-two between Marvin and Neil Mustoe saw the latter give back a dreadful pass, something that the new captain is not amiss to, and Owen Storey bore down on goal before bringing a good block from the City keeper. Our only reply was a weighted ball over the top that found Jimmy Cox in space but his lack of match practice has hampered his pace and the defender slid in with a clearing tackle easier than he normally would. |
| Another great chance for the visitors followed when Lee Smith lost the ball after he slipped and a superb cross flashed across the face of goal where Saunders (who'd spurned a glorious chance earlier) could on offer the slightest of touches as the ball flew wide. |
| As the game headed into the break City pushed forward. Keith Knight of 2004 reminded us what he was like in 1994 as he teased his way past a defender the way that Adie Harris still does. He had acres of space for his cross which found Wilko on the penalty spot but the Brockworth man's shot was charged down to Lee Smith. Smudge easily went around the defender and was brought crashing down by an unnecessary challenge. Knight rolled the penalty home for a scarcely deserved lead. |
| If there had been any away fans we might've rubbed it in, after all, they'd dominated the half and now we were if front. What we didn't expect though was a second goal virtually straight away. Knight again found room on the left and curled in a cross towards the penalty spot where Dave Wilkinson stooped to divert the ball inside the far post. Chitty made a spectacular looking dive but was nowhere near it. |
| At the break Team Bath boss Ged Roddy must've been scratching his head how his team were not only losing but two down. I'd like to think that Burnsy would've still gone through with his bollocking even though the final two minutes had totally changed the face of the game. |
| Little more than five minutes into the second half the students gave themselves a lifeline when the impressive looking striker Jaukovic, who'd been ploughing a lone furrow up front got on the end of a low cross and slotted home. There were just groans from the T-End and celebrations from the away bench as the team with no fans pulled one back. |
| If Tom Webb was 'immense' at Bedford, tonight he was invisible. I'm not sure whether he'd been assigned a different role to Saturday but it wasn't working out as just before the hour mark he was replaced by Adie Harris. Maybe Webby just doesn't like playing in the rain. |
| City had chances through Smith and Davis, the former was bent narrowly wide and might've resulted in a corner (although a goal kick was given) and the latter was a hopelessly overhit lob following defensive uncertainty as the ball dropped out of the sky. |
| The T-End was brought to life when the Bath centre back got between Cox and the ball and used his arm to control it. Whether it was deliberate or not, nothing was given and City were denied by Hereford referee Andy Williams. With Bath seemingly camped along City's wings a rare chance came our way when Darren Chitty got down well to deny Knight's free kick that curled around the wall to the keeper's near post. |
| City seemed to be coming back into what was a Team Bath dictated game now. Another chance fell to the Tigers when Griff rose at the far post from a free kick but his goalbound headed was deflected over the bar for a corner that came to nothing. |
| Another chance came Lee Smith's way after Jimmy Cox had played him in at an angle. I think Cox was looking for a return ball but Lee gets tunnel vision when faced with the target and went for goal himself, to no avail. |
| Burnsy then made his match winning change. Davis was taken off and replaced by Baylo and suddenly City were winning flick on's and not giving it away as soon as they'd got it. Reeves and Nicholls came on for the students but it seemed to take away from their cause rather than add to it. |
| It was all City now as Bath rarely threatened. Cox and Smith both had half chances although Cox was pulled up for a similar challenge that he'd just ridden. The final whistle went surprisingly quickly although due to the stronger nature of the league I'm sure we'll suffer more injury time palpatations this year than we did against Team Bath. |
| So it's now four points from six, and a continued unbeated start. Other results saw Chippenham, Kings Lynn, Chesham, Halesowen and Bath City maintain their 100% records whilst Hednesford, Grantham, Hemel Hempstead and Dunstable join Team Bath at the foot of the table, pointless. |
| Alot of people don't seem to like what Team Bath FC stand for. I for one don't have a problem with them (as long as we keep beating them) and wish them all the best. However, I do want a couple of things from them this campaign. I want them to do the double over Bath City and finish above their City rivals! |
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| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Dave Wilkinson |
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Dave Wilkinson
Star Man |
Often criticised for being the least elegant of players but it has to be said that Wilko does a great job as a spoiler in the middle of the park and also pops up with vital goals. He did both tonight as City struggled against a team of students!
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