Gloucester City (0)0 Bath City (0)0

Bath City and Gloucester City shared the points at a draughty and soggy Jubilee Stadium, as the visitors extended their unbeaten run to nine matches. It was a game in which both sides would always struggle to master the conditions given the bumpy surface alongside the intensifying strength of both the strong breeze and driving rain.

The Romans began proceedings playing up the slope and against the prevailing wind, but had the better of the early exchanges. James Morton’s shot from 20 yards in the 7th minute was well over the crossbar and Leon Davies’ effort from a similar distance four minutes later suffered the same fate.

The hosts were restricted to occasional raids into Bath territory, but it was the away side that continued to pose any questions up front. On 16 minutes, Davies crossed from the right and picked out Robbie Cundy in the box, but the centre half’s glancing header was wide of JoJo Wollacott’s far post.

Joe Raynes free kick from the left in the 20th minute found Jack Batten at the far post, but he was unable to turn the ball in. In the event, an offside flag was raised which would have ruled out any success.

A corner kick on the half hour mark was partially cleared by the Gloucester defence, but the ball eventually fell to Frankie Artus whose looping header was cleared off the goal-line with Wollacott beaten.

The Tigers had a golden opportunity to take the lead, very much against the run of play, when Jake Jackson broke clear and his progress was halted inside the box by Ryan Clarke. The referee, Mr. Daniel Lamport, immediately pointed to the spot and issued a yellow card to the goalkeeper. Jackson dusted himself down before taking the penalty himself, only for Clarke to produce an excellent diving save to his left and pushed the ball away to safety.

Undeterred, Bath continued to push forward but had another scare three minutes before the interval through an unlikely source. Goalkeeper Wollacott punted a long kick downfield and, wind assisted, the ball skidded off the surface and zipped just over Clarke’s crossbar, with the visiting keeper desperately back-peddling.

The final action of the half saw Jack Batten’s angled ball into the box from the right find Freddie Hinds, but the striker directed his header narrowly wide of the far post.

Now playing with the elements behind them and the rain falling in sheets, Bath set about putting the home defence under increasing pressure. Within a minute of the restart Adam Mann’s firmly struck shot from outside the box brought a fine diving save from Wollacott, which perhaps set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Hinds found the corner of the net with a neat finish in the 55th minute after breaking clear down the right, but he was denied by another offside flag. Shortly afterwards Morton’s free kick into the danger area was headed goalwards by Cundy, but Wollacott again produced a good save at the expense of a corner. A Joe Romanski header was also off target as the Gloucester rearguard stood firm.

Ryan Brunt replaced Davies after 66 minutes as Jerry Gill’s men sought a way to break the home resistance. Wollacott made another useful save to repel Hinds’ fierce effort from the edge of the box and, on 70 minutes, Raynes found space inside the box, but his effort was deflected over the bar by a defender. Brunt then headed just over the bar from a cross into the box.

The hosts broke into Bath territory when the opportunity arose, but Clarke remained a virtual spectator. However, the keeper was relieved to see one goal-bound shot blocked by Batten inside a crowded 6-yard box.

With four minutes left on the clock, an Artus shot was deflected for a corner and, two minutes later, the visitors had an outstanding chance to break the deadlock. Raynes broke down the right and pulled the ball back into the path of Brunt, but the substitute blazed his shot over the bar from 8 yards out.

There was to be one final opportunity deep into stoppage time when Morton’s cross into the box found Artus, but the midfielder put the ball just over the bar through a combination of his head and shoulder.

Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Bath were given a generous ovation by their band of drenched followers in recognition of their team’s endeavour. Whilst the Somerset side dominated throughout and should have taken all three points, it must be appreciated that Gloucester squandered the best chance of the game by failing to register from the penalty spot, and credit must be given to the home defence for their fortitude throughout. It is fair to say that, in the end, the only real winner was the atrocious weather.

Gloucester City: JoJo Wollacott, Harry Hodges, Jake Mawford, Spencer Hamilton, Sam Avery, Joe Hanks, Joe Parker, Luke Russe, Jake Jackson, Zack Kotwica, Fabien Robert. Subs; Adam Robbins, Harry Williams, Josh Thomas, Aaron Nesbeth.

Bath City: Ryan Clarke, Leon Davies (Ryan Brunt 66), Jack Batten, Robbie Cundy, Joe Romanski, Anthony Straker, Frankie Artus, James Morton, Joe Raynes, Adam Mann, Freddie Hinds. Subs not used; Andy Watkins, Ross Stearn, Harvey Wiles-Richards, Tom Smith.

Referee: Mr. Daniel Lamport

Attendance: 519

A frustrating result from the reading of it. I sounds like we had more than enough clear chances to have made the penalty irrelevant anyway. Still, you win some, you draw some.

It was as predicted. Awful conditions and despite a healthy group of City fans hard to get an atmosphere going in an open soulless ground.

Gloucester defended well and you have to admire their hardy group of fans who just keep their Club going....

We must have had 70% possession and loads of chances. Brunt's miss near the end the clearest.

My only criticism was that we were sending in high crosses without the target man. Brunt might have come on earlier. We didn't pressure the keeper enough.

But we are still unbeaten and looking to anchor that 2nd or third spot.

Really need Kev and Riggy fit. Jerry said 3 weeks so hopefully 16th Feb?

Thank you Kev.