A warm welcome ahead of a local derby at Twerton today, Bath City taking on Frome Town in FA Cup qualifying. A brilliant atmosphere radiates around the capacity crowd for a first match-up in 13 years. The return of classic British rain after a tropical summer could make the game all the more unpredictable with the ball having a mind of its own. A win would propel the victors within touching distance of the first round proper.
With kick-off imminent, a raspberry coloured flare ascends from the West Stand, it looks like we’ve got a game on our hands..
‘5 Tom Smith dashes past the Frome backline and finds himself with just the keeper to beat, but he flashes his shot wide
‘15 A raking pass finds Elliot Frear, he drives down the left flank and guides his delivery onto the head of Fletcher. He glances it precisely into the corner, Bath have had total control of the game and deserve their advantage
‘23 A wonderful pass splits the Roman defence, it comes to former Bath winger Jon Davies who takes it on first time but Murphy Mahoney maintains his side’s lead. Then moments later, in a near identical chance George Rigg ends up 1-on-1.. It seemed a certainty he’d equalize but his effort strikes the crossbar, before he hammers over the follow-up.. The ball never to be seen again..
‘38 A fine Smith free kick is clawed over for a City corner. Centre-back Jack Batten gets his head to it and thumps home the second, with so many chances being created it was a matter of time before another found its way in
The referee blows for half-time eight minutes later. Barring their two quick-fire attempts, Frome have struggled to make an impact on the game. Bath seem to have found their clinical edge, at last putting shots away. Anything could still happen but as it stands, the Romans are plain sailing.
‘47 Bath hold possession in the opposing half with neat intricate passing. Eddie Jones plays a great 1-2 before cutting it back to Cody Cooke. He tees up Frear who smashes home for a brilliant team goal.
‘53 Frear traps a superb crossfield pass and makes an impressive inroad on the left, he crossed to Cooke and the crowd roared once more, only to realise it’d been nodded wide.
‘58 City make two dangerous challenges after being outmaneuvered by Town frontmen. In a sizeable let-off, referee Jonathan Maskrey waves both appeals away and Bath resume their dominance
‘64 Jones darts down the right and whips in a bouncing delivery which Cooke pokes in for No.4. No way back now surely. It’s been comprehensive so far.
‘71 Cooke works a short corner well and lays it off to Frear, he evades a nasty tackle but his inswinging shot swerves off the post.
‘74 It’s attack after attack for the Romans, substitute Mo Touray bears down on goal with only the post denying him.
‘86 Touray does some slick stepovers and then tucks it to Frear. He crosses to Cooke with the number nine making no mistake with a powerful header to make it 5-0.
For so long Bath have lacked an end product but with so many opportunities, some were bound to go in. If more chances can be created in upcoming games, the form they showed today will begin to reflect their league standing. To their credit, the Frome fans and players kept going ‘til the end with endless passion and chanting adding to the intrigue. At the end of the day it is the Romans who are in Monday’s draw
Attendance: (Best this season so far) 1421 Bath City 5-0 Frome Town
Image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-ttRZRvaI