Bath City (2)2 Margate (0)0

Bath City secured their second successive home victory by beating National League South basement side Margate at Twerton Park this afternoon.  Andy Watkins registered twice during an enterprising and entertaining first half performance by the hosts and, despite Gary Owers’ men labouring after the break, this proved more than sufficient to bag all three points.

City began proceedings brightly and took just two minutes to forge their way in front.  Marvin Morgan released Nick McCootie with a marvellous through ball, allowing his strike partner to bear down on goal.  ‘Gate keeper Valrey Pajetat could only parry McCootie’s low shot, and Watkins was on hand to hook home the loose ball at the far post.

At this stage, it was all Bath as they pressed forward looking to increase their advantage.  Marvin Morgan burst through in the 11th minute, but was denied by an excellent last ditch tackle by Tarik Moore-Azille as the forward was about to pull the trigger.  McCootie then headed over the cross bar from a Watkins right wing cross.

Margate’s first attempt on goal arrived on 20 minutes, but Dean Morgan’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected high and wide of the target.

It was, however, the home side that continued to dominate all aspects of the game.  A 23rd minute corner saw the ball bounce around the ‘Gate penalty area, and Pajetat reacted quickly and bravely to smother on the line before Jack Batten could profit.

A second home goal had been threatening and it duly arrived in the 26th minute.  Billy Murphy’s free kick into the box from the right flew across the face of goal and, once again, the lurking Watkins found the telling touch at the far post.

Connor Lemonheigh-Evans tried his luck with a free kick from 20 yards out from a central position, but his shot was directed straight at Pajetat and, on 32 minutes, Axel Andresson sent a rasping angled drive narrowly over the crossbar.

Pajetat gathered another Lemonheigh-Evans’ shot at the second attempt, and Andresson nodded just wide of the post after 37 minutes following a corner kick from the right.

A defensive mix-up almost gave Margate a lifeline two minutes before the interval, but Dean Morgan was wide of Max O’Leary’s near post with his speculative dipping shot from distance.  The final chance of the half fell to Artus after a determined run down the right by McCootie, but the home skipper fired straight at the grateful Pajetat.

Lemonheigh-Evans sliced a shot well wide from distance shortly after the restart, but Dean Morgan thought he had reduced the arrears in the 48th minute after latching on to a through ball.  However, his celebrations were abruptly curtailed by an offside flag.

Former City loanee, Ben Swallow, fizzed an angled effort just over O’Leary’s crossbar but, despite struggling to replicate their earlier fluency, it was The Romans who looked the more likely to add to the scoreline.  A long throw by Andresson reached Lemonheigh-Evans and Pajetat did well to hold his firmly struck half volley, then a neat interchange between Marvin Morgan & McCootie on 55 minutes ended with the former shooting straight at the keeper.

Watkins’ cross from the right was pushed into Lemonheigh-Evans’ path by Pajetat, but the Bristol City loanee was caught in two minds and a golden opportunity was lost.  One minute later, a flowing move involving Miles Welch-Hayes and Marvin Morgan concluded with Lemonheigh-Evans finding the outside of the side netting with his shot.

Thereafter, possession was dominated by the visitors but, despite most of the play being inside City territory, they failed to seriously threaten O’Leary’s goal.  Watkins was replaced by Josh Hutchinson on 76 minutes, and Murphy forced a smart save by Pajetat with a low drive from 18 yards two minutes later.

Bath were desperately unlucky not to increase their lead after 78 minutes when McCootie’s thunderous rising shot rattled the crossbar, with Pajetat a mere spectator.  This proved to be the last action of note as, after the introduction of Naby Diallo and Chas Hemmings for Lemonheigh-Evans and Murphy respectively, the home side successfully ran down the clock without further undue alarm.

The first 45 minutes saw some of the best football produced by City this season, and the margin of the half time advantage could well have been greater.  It was, perhaps, inevitable that the tempo would drop after the break, but the hosts could still have added more goals, and there was very little danger of Margate finding a way back into the game.  The win keeps the recent unbeaten run of results intact, and sets up an enticing derby match against improving Weston-Super-Mare at Woodspring Park next Saturday.

Bath City: Max O'Leary; George Rigg, Jack Batten, Axel Andresson, Miles Welch-Hayes, Frankie Artus, Andy Watkins (Josh Hutchinson 76), Billy Murphy (Chas Hemmings 82), Nick McCootie, Marvin Morgan, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (Naby Diallo 82). Subs not used: Sekani Simpson, Shaquille Hunter.

Margate: Valrey Pajetat; Chris Sessegnon, Hakeem Adelakun, Jake Phillips, Tarik Moore-Azille, Brett Johnson, Harrison Bennett, Ira Jackson (Matthias Fanimo 63), Dean Morgan (Fumnaya Shomotun 70), Daniel Akindayini, Ben Swallow (Maurice Harrison 84). Subs not used: Owen Kallmeier, Alfie Foster.

Referee: Mr. Josh Smith.

Attendance:  588.

Good report as ever. I cannot remember O'Leary having a meaningful save to make. I presume our persistent shyness in front of goal was the reason why we lost up at their place.

BenE wrote:Good report as ever. I cannot remember O'Leary having a meaningful save to make. I presume our persistent shyness in front of goal was the reason why we lost up at their place.

Thanks BenE. Agree re Max O'Leary not having to make a meaningful save. Having said that, when he was called upon to deal with crosses he did so in a positive manner.