Bath City (1)2 Hungerford Town (1)3

Hungerford Town snatched a winning goal in stoppage time to record victory at Twerton Park. It was a controversial finale to the match, when Bath City were not only denied a penalty when Alex Fletcher was felled inside the box, but their sense of injustice was intensified as, almost immediately, Hungerford struck the decisive blow at the other end.

The visitors caused the City defence issues for the early stages and a ball into the City box in the 2nd minute was poked narrowly wide by Niko Muir. Claudio Ofosu then shot wide from 20 yards after a partially cleared free kick had fallen to him. It was no real surprise, therefore, when they took the lead in the 12th minute, although they were gifted their advantage. A ball over the top of the home defence was misjudged by the outrushing Joe Wright, allowing Muir to place his shot into the back of the unguarded net.

The Romans were stunned into action by this setback, and they began to come more into the game. Joe Raynes’ raking cross from the right on 18 minutes was headed narrowly wide of his own far post by a defender. At the other end, a ball in from the right found Louis McGrory, whose shot drew a fine diving save by Wright.

City found an equaliser in the 26th minute when Elliott Frear’s corner from the right was met with a firm header at the far post by Jordan Dyer that gave Town keeper Tyla Dickinson no chance as it flew high into the net.

Ofosu, who caused concern for the Bath defence all afternoon with his pace, saw his 28th minute effort saved by Wright at full stretch, and the keeper needed to remain alert to tip McGrory’s long range shot over the crossbar.

The hosts were now beginning to enjoy the balance of possession, and Frear’s left wing cross was nodded just wide of the far post by Fletcher. Raynes’ delivery from the other side dipped wickedly under the bar, and Dickinson did well to claw the ball to safety.

The final action of the half saw Wright make another useful save low down to gather Joel Rollinson’s shot.

The second period started poorly for the hosts as Hungerford found themselves in front once again after 46 minutes. A corner from the left was flicked in at the near post by George Smith’s header.

Wright was called into action again nine minutes later to hold Ben Allen’s volley from the edge of the area, but the visitors were now slowing the game down at every opportunity with the referee, Mr. Alex Blake, doing precious little to curtail their time-wasting tactics.

Rex Manning replaced Tom Smith on 56 minutes, and Scott Wilson headed on to the top of the net from Fletcher’s cross on the hour mark. Luke Spokes was then brought on for James Morton after 68 minutes as City looked to find their way back into the game for a second time. Indeed, within a minute of Spokes’ introduction his side were back on terms, when the substitute’s through ball was latched on to by Wilson. The striker advanced goalwards before sliding his shot into the corner of the net beyond the advancing Dickinson.

The Town keeper made a good save to repel Frear’s firm shot from 20 yards on 74 minutes, but Ofosu caused further alarm for the City rearguard when he raced towards the home area before firing wastefully over Wright’s crossbar.

Bath were now pressing to find a winner and Spokes well struck effort from the edge of the area was straight at Dickinson. Shortly afterwards, Fletcher delivered a cross from the right that appeared to strike a defender’s hand inside the box, but the referee, Mr. Alex Blake, showed no interest in the penalty appeals.

The Crusaders continued to look dangerous on the break, but Jake Evans’ 87th minute volley following a swift raid was well over the target.

As the game entered five minutes of stoppage time, Fletcher burst into the Town box and was felled by a lunging challenge. Astonishingly, the referee and his well-placed assistant saw nothing untoward and waved away the fervent protects of the City players. Salt was rubbed into their wounds almost immediately as Evans crossed the ball from the right, and the unmarked Ofosu glanced his header into the far corner of the net.

Whilst City did not play consistently well throughout, they did not deserve to lose the game, and the sequence of events in the final minutes made defeat a particularly hard pill to swallow. Hungerford certainly belied their lowly league placing with their pace up front, but their spoiling tactics caused huge frustration for the home contingent, aided to a large extent by Mr. Blake’s inaction.


Bath City: Joe Wright, Joe Raynes, Jordan Dyer, Jack Batten, Kieran Parselle, James Morton (Luke Spokes 68 mins), Tom Smith (Rex Mannings 56 mins), Dan Haysfield, Elliott Frear, Alex Fletcher, Scott Wilson. Subs not used: Ryan Clarke, Chris Lines, Ben Ford.

Hungerford Town: Tyla Dickinson, Louis McGrory, Joel Rollinson, Jake Evans, Niko Muir, Claudio Ofosu, George Smith, Matt Berry-Hargreaves, Rhys Tyler, Kyle Bailey, Ryan Jones. Subs: James Rusby, Connor Lynch, Ben Allen, Sammy Ompreon, Jerry Gyebi.

Referee: Mr. Alex Blake.

Attendance: 1,079

If you let in three goals you are always likely to be on the wrong end of a defeat. Joe Wright was deservedly MOM as well.