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

Bath City completed a league double over local rivals Weston-super-Mare as a goal either side of half time was sufficient to secure victory in this Somerset derby at the Woodspring Stadium. City consequently moved within a whisker of a play-off place whilst the hosts, who finished the game with only nine players, remain rooted to the foot of the National League South table.

The early stages were fairly even and the first opening fell to the home side in the 5th minute, but Jennison Myrie Williams volleyed high over the crossbar from a tight angle. Thereafter, City began to enjoy the territorial advantage with Weston breaking with pace when able.

Bath had an outstanding chance to take the lead on 8 minutes when Ross Stearn latched on to Joe Raynes’ powerful forward header, raced goalwards, but clipped his shot over both the advancing Luke Purnell and the bar.

A free-kick was played into the Bath area from the right in the 12th minute, but Marlon Jackson directed his header straight at visiting custodian Ryan Clarke. At the other end, Stearn’s shot from the edge of the box was wide of the target.

The Romans forged in front after 21 minutes when Stearn’s free-kick into the danger area from the right was flicked on, and Robbie Cundy rose highest at the back post to loop his header over the stranded Purnell and into the unguarded net.

Weston tried to find an immediate response and a 24th minute cross from George Dowling just eluded the onrushing Jackson in front of goal. Dowling then tested Clarke with a fierce angled drive that the keeper did well to save low down at the foot of his near post. George Nurse then tried his luck with a freekick from outside the box that sailed high over Clarke’s crossbar and deep into the car park behind the goal.

A back-heeled effort by Gethyn Hill was wide of City’s near post following a 40th minute corner from the left but the visitors finished the first half on top. Tom Smith volleyed narrowly wide from the edge of the box on 42 minutes and, on the stroke of the interval, Adam Mann’s shot from 20 yards lacked the power to beat Purnell.

The hosts pushed forward from the restart and, within two minutes, Clarke was called upon to make a useful save to keep out Nurse’s free-kick from the edge of the box. However, it was not long before City were back in the ascendancy and they should have increased their lead in the 50th minute. Michee Efete, playing in a more advanced role, found space down the right and pulled the ball into the path of the unmarked Smith, who lifted his shot over the crossbar from 10 yards out.

Weston’s reprieve lasted only two minutes though as the away side doubled their tally in somewhat fortunate circumstances. Raynes curled a cross in from the right hand point of the box that struck the underside of the bar before entering the net, with the back-peddling Purnell grasping at nothing but thin air.

The game turned further in City’s favour in the 56th minute when home skipper Jacob Cane, who had earlier been booked for dissent, was show a second yellow card for crudely upending Mann on the halfway line. This effectively ended any serious goal threat from the Seagulls and the visitors were content to retain possession, running down the clock in the process. Raynes tried his luck from distance but was off target and, in a rare home attack, substitute Alex Byrne’s shot was deflected for a corner off a Bath defender.

James Morton replaced Smith on 70 minutes and, eight minutes later, Frankie Artus gave way for James Ollis. At the same time, having made all three substitutions, Weston were reduced to nine men when Jason Pope was forced off the field of play by a knee injury.

Nurse’s free kick from distance was high over Clarke’s bar and the final action of the game occurred in the penultimate minute on the edge of the Weston box. Ollis was felled by a clumsy challenge by Naby Diallo, who was already on a caution but somehow escaped further sanction. The resulting freekick was driven into the base of the defensive wall by Stearn, but his side saw out the remaining time without further incident.

In the end, this was a comfortable victory for Jerry Gill’s side aided by the home side’s numerical deficiency although, in truth, they held the upper hand throughout the 90 minutes. Weston lacked the incision upfront to unlock a sound defensive unit, and City always looked dangerous when they attacked. The final whistle was greeted with generous applause for a job well done from the substantial number of travelling supporters who, no doubt, also felt a sense of revenge after the ignominious defeat in the FA Cup at the same venue earlier in the season. They will now look forward to the return game against Chippenham Town on New Year’s Day at Twerton Park.

Weston-super-Mare: Luke Purnell; Aaron Parsons, George Nurse, Jacob Cane, Jake Lee, Jason Pope, George Dowling (Alex Byrne 61), Naby Diallo, Marlon Jackson (Eli Phipps 75), Jennison Myrie-Williams, Gethyn Hill (Jamie Lucas 75). Subs not used: Ben Swallow, Tom Llewellyn.

Bath City: Ryan Clarke; Michee Efete, Kevin Amankwaah, Robbie Cundy, Jack Batten, Anthony Straker; Frankie Artus (James Ollis 78), Joe Raynes, Tom Smith (James Morton 70), Ross Stearn, Adam Mann. Subs not used: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Matt Richards, John Mills.

Referee: Mr. Alex Blake.

Attendance: 833.

Excellent as usual

Excellent KK.
Quite how Niabi stayed on the pitch after his dreadful challenge on Ollis was a mystery to all around me.
Maybe the ref was worried about abandoning the match if Weston super Cheats lost any more players.

Just want to check the formation here - at the back, from left to right would be Straker, Batten, Cundy, Amankwaah with Efete sitting on the right of midfield in front of Amankwaah. Was Joe sitting in the middle with Artus? That's what it looked like on the video highlights.

The team formation was described on BCIR as 3-5-2.  

On the highlights it looked like Frankie was the rearmost midfield.
Ross was mostly out wide and the other five interchanging with runs down the channels.

Perhaps Jerry will give an explanation at meet the manager?

It worked.

I thought Mark said it was a back five with Straker and Efete as wing backs. Three in midfield with Mann and Stearn as forwards. 

As you say the way we play attacking wise is pretty fluid so this is really a defensive formation. Although it was born out of the availability of fit players.

Interesting that Ollis came on ahead of Mills.

Wouldn’t have described it as defensive and it’s open to interpretation whether you call it 5-3-2 or 3-5-2. Sure I’ve had a debate about it on here before. Three centre-backs and two wing-backs. That’s the crux of it.

I personally think tomorrow it’ll be back to the team that started the previous Chippenham game, then changed again for Dulwich when Straker is banned.

Mills had a tight hamstring from the Chippenham game so, in all reality, was only going to come on in an emergency. Should be OK for tomorrow though apparently.

I didn't think it looked like a particularly defensive line-up from the highlights with even Amankwaah getting forward once to twice. Having Kevin on the right of a three certainly covers Efete's defensive fragility and lets him get forward more. As has been said, it was probably borne out of player availability than anything else but worked well.

I meant the formation operates when we are defending. When we are attacking it is more fluid. So defenders should be constantly mindful of their defensive duties and should therefore be ready to get back into position. Hence a wing back tends to run up and down the channels pretty much like a full back but with more defensive cover.

I am expecting Comrade to weigh in now with his interpretation.

Marc Monitor wrote:Mills had a tight hamstring from the Chippenham game so, in all reality, was only going to come on in an emergency.  

Do you mean Brunt

tovid wrote:I am expecting Comrade to weigh in now with his interpretation.

Well sorry to disappoint you, but I won't!

tovid wrote:I meant the formation operates when we are defending. When we are attacking it is more fluid. So defenders should be constantly mindful of their defensive duties and should therefore be ready to get back into position. Hence a wing back tends to run up and down the channels pretty much like a full back but with more defensive cover.

Yeah, I appreciate that but I didn't think Efete had any defensive responsibilities at all and Kevin seemed to be a playing like the occasionally attacking full back. Having said that, this was all from highlights so I am stand to be corrected by anyone who saw the whole match.

tovid wrote:

Marc Monitor wrote:Mills had a tight hamstring from the Chippenham game so, in all reality, was only going to come on in an emergency.  

Do you mean Brunt

Apologies. Post Christmas lack of form on my part. Didn't even know Mills was back.

Marc Monitor wrote:Mills had a tight hamstring from the Chippenham game so, in all reality, was only going to come on in an emergency. Should be OK for tomorrow though apparently.

I didn't think it looked like a particularly defensive line-up from the highlights with even Amankwaah getting forward once to twice. Having Kevin on the right of a three certainly covers Efete's defensive fragility and lets him get forward more. As has been said, it was probably borne out of player availability than anything else but worked well.

I think you mean Brunt, not Mills.....have you started New Year Celebrations early!!