Bath City 1 – 2 Wealdstone
Bath City
1 - 2
WealdstoneA second-half Joe White penalty was the vital goal in a niggly encounter at Twerton Park on Saturday as Wealdstone disposed of fellow play-off chasers Bath City with a 2-1 win.
Danny Green opened the scoring with a fantastic curling effort that went in off the crossbar before Chas Hemmings equalised with virtually the last kick of the first half. But White was brought down in the 71st minute and converted the match-winning penalty.
Gordon Bartlett made two changes to the side that drew with Concord Rangers on Monday night. Ciaron Brown returned to the side in place of Tom Hamblin who was unavailable, and striker Dan Fitchett made his debut replacing Elliott Godfrey.
In a game of few chances but plenty of fouls it was Bath City who should have gone ahead in the seventh minute. A corner was swung in which fell favourably to Shawn McCoulsky, he hit a fierce volley from 5 yards out but Jonathan North was able to block it.
It took until the 29th minute for either side to craft a decent goal scoring chance and it was Fitchett who was denied a debut goal after turning Jack Batten but then having his effort tipped wide by Max O’Leary.
Stones then took the lead. Green had his corner headed back to him by the first man and he had plenty of time to pick his spot, and pick it he did, swerving an effort into the top far-hand corner which just brushed the underside of the crossbar.
This sparked life into the Romans and they had several chances in their strongest period of the match. Andy Watkins back heeled to Nick McCootie in the box but he smashed a shot over.
The Romans then equalised in controversial circumstances. Fitchett gave away a free kick where it looked as if he clearly won the ball. The ball was flighted into the box for the head of Hemmings, his effort was stopped by Wes Parker but it looked as if it’d already crossed the line, McCoulsky made sure anyway toe-poking in from a yard out with the last action of the first half.
The second half started in fiery fashion and Frankie Artus and Aryan Tajbakhsh both picked up bookings, with Artus fortunate not to receive a second after scything down Sam Cox.
Stones then won a penalty. Ryan Sellers made a bursting forward run, he played a well-timed through ball to White and he was bundled over forcing referee Ian Rathbone to point to the spot. The 18-year old then calmly converted the penalty low to the keeper’s right with O’Leary diving the opposite way.
Neither side created many goal scoring opportunities from that point. It was Green who came closest though, he was played in by substitute Matty Whichelow after a devastating counter-attack but his shot went across the face of goal and just wide.
WEALDSTONE: North, Oshodi, Sellers, Parker, Brown, Tajbakhsh (Whichelow 66), Green, Cox, White (Godfrey 90), Wellard, Fitchett (Benyon 87) Subs not used: Goulding, McGleish
By Chris Woods
Steve Foster Pictures HERE
Alan Palmer Pictures HERE
Listen to Gordon Bartlett’s post reaction HERE
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Bath City pictures HERE
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