Darren Way says Bath City need to gain five or six more wins and claim three or four more draws if they are to avoid the drop from Enterprise National League South – and he is confident they will manage it.
Alex Fisher celebrates after scoring Bath City’s priceless equaliser in their relegation tussle with Enfield Town on Saturday 28th February | Photo © Simon Howe
The gaffer admitted the Romans were disappointed that they took only a point from their match at fellow strugglers Enfield Town on Saturday 28th February.
The North Londoners went into the fixture on the back of an 8-0 thrashing at Maidstone United on Tuesday 24th February.
But Enfield took the lead against Bath through left-back Nino Adom-Malaki’s long-range free-kick in the 32nd minute and the guests needed an Alex Fisher equaliser eight minutes later.
The Romans are still in 21st place in the table, a point adrift of the current safety line, albeit with matches in hand on all of the teams around them.
However, Way believes his squad are good enough to keep City at Step 2 for next season.
Bath City’s Donovan Wilson tussles with a posse of Enfield Town players during the Enterprise National League South game at the Dave Bryant Stadium | Photo © Simon Howe
Following the 1-1 draw at the Dave Bryant Stadium, he said: “We’re disappointed we didn’t win it.
“We came here with a set-up and pushed two up front, Donovan [Wilson] and Fisher, and then we found ourselves going a goal down again the run of play.
“I have to say the players responded really well off the back of that. It was a disappointing goal to concede.
“We didn’t mark well enough from a throw and I think it was 30 yards out, finished by the left-back, so we were disappointed with that but I thought the players responded really well.
“Other than that moment I felt the players were in control and we were having chances.
“It’s just at the moment where we are, you just want one of them to land for you in the right place at the right time and we get that finish. It wasn’t for the lack of trying.
“I’ve just said to the players, when you play a team off the back of 8-0 with the results that they’ve had, beating Horsham, they’ve had some good results leading up to the 8-0 defeat, they were going to respond in a really positive way.
“I thought they defended well against us for large periods, they never gave in, but that moment, that chance, we need to do a little bit more to create it.
Bath City supporters watch their side draw 1-1 with North London outfit Enfield Town in Enterprise National League South on Saturday 28th February | Photo © Simon Howe
“I think the players need to make sure that they’re showing that belief, that resilience, because it’s going to happen.
“If you look at the league as it stands at the moment, there’s a lot of teams beating other teams and getting scores that you wouldn’t expect.
“Towards the end we made more attacking substitutions to try to leave three up front.
“The players are trying and that’s the main thing.
“It’s another draw. Yes, we want to win football matches. We’ve got a target, we’ve to make sure we get five or six wins and we’ve got to make sure we get three or four draws in the games we’ve got left.
“When I came in, in this position last year, we didn’t have the squad as strong as what it is now.
“I get there’s a little bit of uncertainty and I get there’s a little bit of panic but we’ve got games in hand and we’ve played a team today… that was really important that we didn’t lose that game against a team that we’ve got games in hand on.
“I’ve got no doubt, I’m pretty comfortable managing this team, managing the club, I understand there’s a little bit of uncertainty but we’ll be OK. This group has got enough to make sure it gets us over the line.”
Of Fisher’s leveller – which came when he looped a header over Enfield gloveman Joe Wright following a long throw by Joe Raynes – Way said: “It was a fantastic goal.
“He gassed out, and [so did] Donovan.
“We have to manage Donovan so I don’t want anyone thinking we’re taking forwards off and we’re being negative.
“We’ve got Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday [games] now with a squad that’s part-time.
“The management of that, it’s really, really important that we’re ready for the next game, hence the reason why we’ve got a fantastic squad.”
Around the hour, Fisher could have had a second goal – after another long throw by Raynes. This time the ex-Scottish Premiership star saw his header tipped behind by Wright.
And in the closing stages, a shot from Raynes was cleared off the Town line.
Bath: Charlie Binns, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade, Jack Batten, Kieran Parselle, Jordan Alves, Alex Fisher (Luke Skinner, 88), Jordan Tillson, Luke Russe (Matt Bowman, 63), Jaiden Putman (Mitch Beardmore, 88), Donovan Wilson (Owen Windsor, 65). Unused subs: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Reubin Sheppard, Moses Alexander-Walker.
The Romans will entertain mid-table Slough Town in another league game tomorrow, Tuesday 3rd March (7.45pm).
Way said: “I’m expecting another good performance. Bar two performances since I’ve been in which have been poor, it’s been small margins.
“Tuesday night under the lights is always good for us. The squad are up for the fight, I get psyched up by the challenge of what we’ve got ahead of us, and we’re going to enjoy doing it at the same time. We’ll be OK.”
Discounted tickets are available here.
