Bath City (0)1 Slough Town (1)1

Bath City endured a frustrating evening at Twerton Park as their encounter with Slough Town ended with the points shared.  It was a match that was dominated for long spells by the hosts, who created a plethora of chances but were repeatedly denied by a combination of the woodwork, breath-taking goalkeeping and last ditch defending.

The opening exchanges belonged to Slough as they pushed City back into their own territory, but the home side gradually gained the upper hand.  The first major scare for the visitors came in the 14th minute when a ball into their box resulted in a prolonged goalmouth scramble which concluded with a clearance off the line.  Two minutes later, Tom Smith crossed from the right and picked out Alex Fletcher in a good position, but the forward completely missed his kick, and the chance was lost.

Bath came desperately close to taking the lead on 20 minutes when Jack Batten’s looping header came back off the crossbar, and Slough then responded with an effort of their own, but Ben Harris’s powerful shot from 20 yards just cleared Ryan Clarke’s bar.

The Romans continued to push forward, and Town keeper Jonathan North was forced into palming Fletcher’s 24th minute header over the top for a corner following a cross from Eddie Jones.  Smith saw his shot deflected over the crossbar on the half hour mark.  At the other end, Josh Jackman’s drive from outside the box was too high to trouble Clarke.

Dave Sims-Burgess came on for the injured Cody Cooke on 37 minutes and almost made an immediate impact.  A cross from the right found the substitute and his acrobatic volley drew a stunning flying save from North, who tipped the ball over the bar. As the pressure continued Smith saw his shot cleared off the goalline in the 41st minute, and Joe Raynes’ effort from the edge of the box drifted over the crossbar.

Slough took the lead against the run of play after 44 minutes when Harris was adjudged to have been fouled inside the City box.  Scott Davies stepped forward to strike an unerring spot kick into the corner of the net beyond Clarke’s despairing dive.

The second period commenced with City again pressurising their visitors as they sought an equaliser.  Elliott Frear crossed from the left on 49 minutes, but Jordan Dyer could only hook his shot over the bar.  A minute later, Ryan Jones’s shot through a crowded area was deflected wide of the far post for a corner.

It appeared that City had finally breached the Town defence on the hour mark when Frear’s left wing cross was met perfectly with a downward header by Sims-Burgess, but North pulled off another magnificent save low down to preserve his side’s advantage.  A Frear shot was deflected for a corner as the siege on Slough’s goal continued, and Dyer’s header then struck the outside of the far post with North beaten.

Sims-Burgess made good progress down the right in the 78th minute and his low cross was deflected into the outside of the side-netting by a defender.  The resulting corner, taken by Ryan Jones, picked out Fletcher at the far post, and the forward found the back of the net from 6 yards.

The Rebels responded almost immediately when Alfonso Tenconi found himself through on goal, but he was denied by an excellent blocking save by Clarke.

The remainder of the game was fairly even with both sides seeking a winning goal, but City only had a Smith shot five minutes from time to show for their efforts, and this was well over North’s crossbar.  There were also a few nervous moments in the home defence in stoppage time as the away side forced a couple of late corners and a freekick in a dangerous position.

The final whistle was greeted with warm applause from the home faithful in the knowledge that their side could have done precious little more to gain victory.  Indeed, anything less than a point would have been a gross injustice and Slough certainly could not have complained had they returned to Berkshire empty handed. Thoughts will now turn to Saturday’s game at Twerton Park against Hemel Hempstead Town when Jerry Gill’s men will be looking to go one better.

Bath City:  Ryan Clarke, Eddie Jones, Jack Batten, Jordan Dyer, Zak Delaney, Ryan Jones, Joe Raynes, Elliott Frear, Tom Smith, Alex Fletcher, Cody Cooke (Dave Sims-Burgess, 37 mins).  Subs not used: Will Fuller, Tom Richards, Omar Holness, Callum Rowe.

Slough Town: Jonathan North, Josh Jackman, Freddie Grant, Edon Pruti, Lee Togwell, Ben Harris, Alfonso Tenconi, George Hunt, Scott Davies, Kurtis Cumberbatch, Imran Kayani.  Subs: Mark Nisbet, Tyler Goodrham, Aaron Kuhl, Sean Fraser, Manny Williams.

Referee:  Mr. Ross Martin.

Attendance: 664.

Great report, KK (but we’re playing Hemel on Saturday)

I thought the save by the Chelmsford keeper at their place wouldn’t be bettered this season but at least two of North’s were even more incredible. Certainly a better night for him than his last visit to Twerton - ironically Ryan Brunt was watching tonight.

comrade powell wrote:Great report, KK (but we’re playing Hemel on Saturday)

I thought the save by the Chelmsford keeper at their place wouldn’t be bettered this season but at least two of North’s were even more incredible. Certainly a better night for him than his last visit to Twerton - ironically Ryan Brunt was watching tonight.

Good spot Comrade. I have duly edited my report. (It is getting too late in the evening and my brain is befuddled!!)

Did anyone count how many corners City had? Could be a record.

Listening on BCR they announced the 17th corner, mid to late 2nd half.

If the luck had been going for us a couple of deflections could have sneaked into the goal rather than out of, but you can't say we didn't work the keeper this game. He pulled off two cracking saves from Sims-Burgess that prevented us from getting a deserved victory.
Has someone run over a black cat because our luck is terrible?