A warm welcome to a rare and exciting night. A cup final between two old rivals. Yeovil Town playing Bath City at the former’s Huish Park stadium in the regional Somerset Premier Cup. It’s been a hard season for the Romans, pulling away from a relegation battle with a few games to spare, however today, it comes to a fantastic climax. Yeovil are under new management for the final month of the season and have been showing good signs. There is so much at stake for these sides and hopefully it will be a cup final to remember.
Fans begin to flood in as the buzz builds. The seagulls soar around the pitch while the players warm up. The trophy ribbons blow in the wind with kick-off approaching. The fans get to their seats and the final is all set to begin.
‘3 Tom Knowles makes a run for Yeovil, he picks out midfielder Lo-Everton who lines up the first real chance of the game which flies over.
‘7 Yeovil move forward with good prowess. Jordan Barnett taking the ball on the halfway line and launching a dipping cross in. Morgan Williams sets himself well and rounds off a great link-up to give the Glovers the lead. City have been in the game but will need to keep up the tempo to compensate for Yeovil’s attacking skill.
‘9 Reuben Reid runs into a good position for the Glovers. His shot fizzles out of danger via a deflection. The Town remaining the stronger side.
‘20 A corner from No. 11 Elliot Frear is looped on by Joe Raynes towards Tom Smith, who has time on his side but puts the shot into the side netting.
‘33 Frear plays in the free kick for Bath, it curls in and Tom Richards gets a head to it with Yeovil defender Josh Staunton managing to deflect it out of play.
Half Time: The players walk into the tunnel and one can definitely say that Bath did well to get back into the game after Yeovil had got on the front foot early and maintained their pressing. If they continue in the style they showed in the last 15 minutes of the half, they stand a good chance of getting an equaliser.
‘46 It’s Yeovil who begin the second half with impetus. Neufville making a good sprint, as he has done all game, and meeting the ball on the half volley which is slightly over the bar.
‘48 The Glovers go again, Knowles receiving a great pass from Worthington who intercepted well. He jinks expertly past his defender and it is a formality from there, a fantastic goal to make it 2-0. Yeovil aren’t home and dry if it’s anything like the first half but now it will be difficult for Bath to catch them up.
‘54 Cody Cooke wins an aerial challenge and heads the ball down to Tom Richards. The No. 16 takes it well and tries to slide the ball past Yeovil goalkeeper Grant Smith. He gets low quickly to block the ball and make a great save.
‘69 Yeovil, while Bath have had chances, have really taken the sting out of the game with that second goal. Knowles goes forward on another magnificent run, dancing past defenders but this time blazing the ball over. It’s a shame for the Romans, they’ve had a good amount of possession but are lacking the end product.
‘83 Yeovil win a corner. Almost every player swarms around the goal line as the ball balloons high into the box. Ben Barclay is all open beyond everyone and connects powerfully to give Yeovil a third. Goalie Ryan Clarke starts a minor brawl after the goal, claiming he was impeded, but really, he is the captain and he should know better.
Full-Time And that seals off the evening, Bath, in the end, were no match to Yeovil. They put up a good fight in the first half but great all round play by the men in green sees the Glovers lift the Cup in deserved fashion.
Yeovil Town 3-0 Bath City
Image : https://www.bathcityfc.com/city-end-season-with-cup-final-defeat/