Bath come from behind to draw at Melksham, Odd Down win Memorial Cup

Bath City came from behind to draw their friendly at Melksham Town on Tuesday 28th July.

The Odd Down, black and white, and Melksham Town XI players at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground on Mark Brown Memorial Cup evening, Tuesday 28th July | Photo © Odd Down FC

The Black & Yellows – members of Pitching In Southern League Division One South – went ahead in the first half at the Meads of Melksham Community Football Stadium, only for the higher-grade Romans to equalise for a 1-1 stalemate.

Mark Cooper fired the hosts in front from close range after 17 minutes.

But Donovan Wilson netted with a free-kick early in the second period for Scott Bartlett’s Southern League Premier South newcomers.

And the visitors almost snatched a late winner, Joe Raynes hitting the bar in injury-time.

Among the substitutes for Bath was young forward Trayvion Jackson, who had been playing for the club under the moniker Trialist previously this pre-season.

Jackson, 18, spent several years with Bristol City.

He scored as the Robins’ U18 side won the Professional Development League national final 2-1 against Watford U18 last season.

Coming off the Bristol bench, he struck the extra-time decider in the match at Ashton Gate on Friday 16th May.

Jackson also had a loan spell with Clevedon Town, of the Jewson Western League Premier Division, in 2025-26.

Bath: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade (Owen Windsor, 46), Ollie Tomlinson, Kieran Parselle, Scott Wilson (Seweryn Streczen, 69), Jordan Tillson, Harry Parsons (Reuben Reid, 46), Matt Bowman (Jack Batten, 43), Enzio Boldewijn (Trayvion Jackson, 80), Donovan Wilson. Unused subs: Dominic Cook, Owen Pritchard.

The match at Melksham had originally been scheduled for Saturday 25th July but was put back to accommodate the Romans’ friendly with Newport County, which was played at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park that afternoon.

Bath will play their final warm-up fixture of the summer when they visit National League South outfit Farnborough on Saturday 1st August (3pm).

The game at the Saunders Transport Community Stadium will be staged in memory of former Farnborough Town boss Ted Pearce, who died in 2022.

Pearce managed Town, the forerunner of Farnborough FC, for 23 years and led them from parks football to the equivalent of the National League.

The teams will play for the Ted Pearce Memorial Cup.

Tickets for the fixture in Hampshire can be purchased here.

Odd Down concluded their programme of pre-season friendlies by beating a Melksham Town XI 2-1 at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground on 28th July.

The match was a tribute to former Odd Down Development manager and Melksham player Mark Brown, who died in March 2023.

The winners, who led 1-0 at half-time, received the Mark Brown Memorial Cup.

A spokesman for the Down said: “Congratulations to our first team on winning the Mark Brown Memorial Cup with a 2-1 victory over Melksham Town.

“Goals from Nick Fowler and Jake Slocombe secured the trophy in what was a fitting occasion to honour the memory of Mark Brown, who held strong connections with both clubs.

“A huge thank you to everyone who attended the match and helped make the evening such a special tribute to Mark.

“Your support was greatly appreciated, and we would also like to thank everyone at Melksham Town for playing their part in a memorable occasion.”

New signing Fowler made 12 appearances for Wells City’s first team in Jewson Western League Division One last season and scored three goals.

He was named the Rowdens Road club’s reserve team players’ player of the year for 2025-26.

The Down have also signed defender Jaiden Savery. A former Larkhall Athletic and Welton Rovers player, Savery has been with the Down previously.

Odd Down’s opening game of the Western League Division One campaign will be on Saturday 1st August, when they welcome Radstock Town to the Lew Hill Memorial Ground (3pm).

The Down will be at home to promoted Nailsea United in the league on Tuesday 4th August (7.45pm).