Swindon Supermarine (0)0 Bath City (1)4

Bath City cruised into the 3rd Qualifying Round of The Emirates FA Cup as they brushed aside the challenge of Swindon Supermarine on a delightfully sunny afternoon at the Webbswood Stadium.  Goals from Ryan Brunt, Tom Smith, Andy Watkins and Matt Bower drove home City’s superiority in a match where the hosts rarely threatened to register, ensuring that a large proportion of the 461 in attendance travelled back down the M4 in good spirit.

The hosts began brightly on an immaculate lush green surface and produced the first goal attempt in the opening minute, but Brad Gray’s shot from outside the box passed narrowly wide of Ryan Clarke’s near post.  Bath gradually put together some neat passing movement which had the effect of severely restricting Swindon’s time in possession.  

In the 12th minute, Adam Mann ran on to a long ball from Bower but his angled looping shot from the point of the box was comfortably held by home custodian, Martin Horsell.  A minute later Mann was again posing a threat to Marine as he raced towards their penalty area before finding Owura Edwards, whose shot was blocked for a corner by Horsell.

Harry Hamblin unleashed a stinging drive from 25 yards that was palmed away by Horsell, with the prone keeper relieved to see the loose ball fall to one of his defenders.  At the other end, Stuart Fleetwood’s shot was headed to safety by Alex Hartridge, who was dominant in the heart of the visitor’s defence.

Edwards was becoming a huge problem for the Supermarine defence with his pace, switching from flank to flank periodically.  The wide man delivered a cross into the danger area from the left on 25 minutes, but Brunt’s first time volley was too high to trouble Horsell.   Hartridge then saw his flicked header deflect narrowly wide of the far post following a corner from Connor Riley-Lowe.

City finally made their superiority pay in the 35th minute when Edwards provided another inviting cross from the left and, this time, Brunt rose highest at the far post to head firmly past Horsell.

Shortly afterwards, Hamblin was replaced by Tom Richards, and the remainder of the half passed without incident.

Any fears that City’s performance level would fall after the interval were quickly allayed as Swindon were again pushed on to the back foot.  Brunt turned adeptly on the edge of the box in the 47th minute, but his rising shot just cleared the crossbar.

Ross Stearn’s 55th minute cross from the right fell to Brunt who attempted an audacious overhead kick. Suffice to say that, whilst it had the direction, it certainly lacked the necessary power.  Three minutes later, Edwards produced a surging run towards the Marine defence before finding Mann, whose thumping drive from the edge of the area was tipped over the bar by Horsell.


The game was put beyond any real doubt on 62 minutes when Tom Smith ran on to a slide rule pass from Stearn, and advanced towards the box before planting the ball into the far top corner of the net with a blistering angled strike.

Andy Watkins came on for Mann in the 63rd minute, and the substitute had a major impact within five minutes. Richards threaded a pass through the beleaguered home defence that Watkins latched on to before sliding the ball beyond the outrushing Horsell.

Jordan Simpson replaced Stearn with 20 minutes left on the clock but, shortly afterwards, Edwards went down under a strong challenge from Simon Downer.  The winger continued after lengthy treatment but was finally forced from the field of play by his injury in the 82nd minute leaving City short of numbers.  

Swindon finally created another opportunity after 83 minutes when Jamie Edge crossed into the box only for Kane Simpson to head over Clarke’s crossbar, but it was City who added to the scoreline three minutes later.  Riley-Lowe’s corner from the left found Bower, whose downward header nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

The home side were also the reduced to ten men in the 89th minute when Downer was unable to continue due to injury, but they had one more chance to add some respectability to the score deep into stoppage time.  However, Simpson again failed to find the target with a header following Louis Spalding’s cross.

The Romans were given a warm ovation by their supporters at the final whistle, and there is no doubt that they fully deserved their victory.  Whilst Swindon battled gamefully until the end, they were never able to make any real impression on the City rearguard.  Indeed, Clarke was only called upon to collect occasional crosses, but it was a task that he performed with great efficiently and assurance throughout.  The draw for the next round will now be eagerly awaited by those of ‘Black & White’ persuasion.

Swindon Supermarine; Martin Horsell, Joe Shepherd, Louis Spalding, Jamie Edge, Matt Williams, Simon Downer, Henry Spalding, Mat Liddiard, Stuart Fleetwood, Conor McDonagh, Brad Gray.  Subs; Brad Hoper, Ryan Campbell, Harry Williams, Kane Simpson, Michael Hopkins, Calvin Dinsley, Matt Coupe.

Bath City;  Ryan Clarke, Joe Raynes, Connor Riley-Lowe, Alex Hartridge, Matt Bower, Harry Hamblin (Tom Richards 40), Tom Smith, Adam Mann (Andy Watkins 62), Ross Stearn (Jordan Simpson 69), Owura Edwards, Ryan Brunt.  Subs not used; Dan Rooney, Harvey Wiles-Richards.

Referee;  Mr. Scott Tallis (Coventry)

Attendance;  461

Good review but ???
Andy Watkins came on for Watkins
Is that a double substitution?

BenE wrote:Good review but ???
Andy Watkins came on for Watkins
Is that a double substitution?

Glad that you are awake, BenE!

Now corrected.