Weston-super-Mare (1)1 Bath City (0)2

A Shawn McCoulsky goal two minutes from time clinched a dramatic Somerset derby victory for Bath City against ten man Weston-super-Mare at Woodspring Park, as his side fought back from a one goal first half deficit.

The game commenced at a frantic pace as the home side swarmed around the City penalty area in the opening exchanges, but the visitors were also looking lively going forward. The Romans almost took the lead on 5 minutes when Billy Murphy’s free kick into the box was met by Morgan, but his first-time effort passed narrowly over the angle of crossbar and post.

The enterprising play from Bath was very nearly rewarded in the 7th minute when Murphy’s corner from the left was headed goalwards by Jack Batten but, with keeper Luke Purnell beaten, the ball was hacked off the goal-line.  The hosts responded with their next attack when the ball was crossed into the away box from the right, and former City loanee Aden Baldwin planted a firm header into the top corner, with Max O’Leary grasping at thin air.

Weston began to control possession, being quicker to the ball than their opponents, as they went in search of more goals.  Jacob Cane’s powerful long range volley on 10 minutes appeared destined to trouble O’Leary, but was repelled by a defender’s head.

Nick McCootie found space inside the Weston box a minute later, but fired over the bar and into the shed behind the goal.  Thereafter, the pace of the game diminished as City regularly gave the ball away from promising positions, and Weston were enjoying long spells characterised by neat passing movement.

Danny Greenslade delivered a cross into the area on 20 minutes which caused confusion in the Bath defence, with Jake Lee skewing his shot wide of the near post from inside the 6-yard box.

At the other end, Andy Watkins tried his luck with a volleyed effort from 25 yards that was nonchalantly collected by Purnell.  However, the visitors almost found an equaliser two minutes before the interval when Miles Welch-Hayes crossed into the danger area from the left, and Purnell produced an outstanding save low down to keep out Watkins’ first time shot.

City began the second period in search of a leveller and, on 49 minutes, Axel Andresson was presented with a free kick in a similar position to that from which he scored so spectacularly on Saturday.  Alas, this time, the goalkeeper was in the right place and was able to complete a comfortable save.

Weston continued to look the more threatening upfront, and Batten needed to produce a goal-line clearance following a flicked header from Baldwin.  Jake Reid then missed his kick in front of goal when a cross from the right found him virtually unmarked.

Naby Diallo came on for Morgan in the 56th minute as Gary Owers explored options to change the momentum of the game, but still the home side created chances, the best of which was headed over O’Leary’s crossbar by the unmarked Lee.

The tide turned on the hour mark when Weston central defender Rollin Menayese, who had already been booked for a rash challenge on McCoulsky in the first half, was shown a second yellow card for blocking the run of the same player.  The decision by the referee, Mr. Josh Smith, appeared a trifle harsh, but Menayese’s indiscretion was ill-advised in the circumstances.

City were now able to find space out wide and consistently push the home side back into their own territory.  The pressure finally told on 70 minutes when Watkins exchanged passes with McCootie, and was felled inside the box.  Andresson stepped forward to send Purnell the wrong way with his confidently struck spot kick.

City now sensed that the game was there for the taking and, two minutes later, Welch-Hayes nodded the ball on the Watkins, whose shot was deflected into the outside of the side netting for a corner.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, The Seagulls were still able to keep possession for prolonged spells but were unable to create any real chances on O’Leary’s goal, and Bath were eventually able to increase the pressure on the home defence as time wore on.  With three minutes left on the clock a long throw from Andresson reached Watkins, who was denied by a good save from Purnell.  The resulting corner again found Watkins, and Purnell produced an even better save to keep out the striker’s firm header.

The winning goal finally arrived on 88 minutes when Frankie Artus and Murphy combined to slip McCoulsky through on goal.  The forward dinked the ball over the advancing keeper, and bundled it into the net ahead of the desperately pursuing defenders.

Despite almost six minutes of stoppage time, the visitors held out for their victory without any further undue alarm.

This was a win that looked unlikely at half time where Weston had by far the better of the first period.  However, the pivotal moment was the sending off of Menayese, and City took full advantage by overturning their deficit.  The home side will undoubtedly feel, with some justification, that they deserved at least a point from an entertaining encounter, but Bath will consider that the three points were just reward for their persistence and determination.

Bath City: Max O'Leary; George Rigg, Jack Batten, Axel Andresson, Miles Welch-Hayes; Nick McCootie (Shaquille Hunter 85), Frankie Artus, Billy Murphy, Andy Watkins (Chas Hemmings 90); Marvin Morgan (Naby Diallo 56), Shawn McCoulsky. Subs not used: Josh Hutchinson, Sekani Simpson

Weston-super-Mare: Luke Purnell; Jason Pope, Danny Greenslade, Lloyd Humphries, Aden Baldwin (Jamie Laird 71), Rollin Menayese, Jake Lee, Jacob Cane, Bradley Ash, Dayle Grubb, Jake Reid. Subs not used: Mohamed Chemlal, Gethyn Hill, Ashley Kington, Tommy Anderson.

Referee: Mr. Josh Smith.

Attendance: 594.