Romans behind after 35 seconds in humbling defeat by Magpies

Bath City fell behind after only 35 seconds when they hosted Maidenhead United on Tuesday 2nd September – and they went on to suffer a humbling 4-0 defeat.

Kieran Parselle – right, in action against Eastbourne Borough last month – hit the bar for the Romans during their defeat by Maidenhead United | Photo © Simon Howe

The reverse was the Romans’ third in four outings at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park this season in Enterprise National League South.

While the result ensured full-timers Maidenhead moved into the play-off zone, Bath tumbled into 18th spot – just three places above the relegation area.

Some members of the crowd of 923 were still taking their positions when Bath’s Jack Batten headed a cross from the visitors’ former Championship midfielder Kane Ferdinand past keeper Harvey Wiles-Richards for an own goal.

And that first-minute setback gave City a mountain to climb – a mountain that had become insurmountable by half-time, with demoted Maidenhead three goals to the good.

However, the situation could have been very different had Bath captain Kieran Parselle’s 19th-minute header, following a corner, not crashed off the United bar.

The Magpies had had a let-off – and they stormed back to double their lead in the 23rd minute. Jordon Ragguette crossed and summer signing Josh Popoola, who has spent time with AFC Bournemouth, fired home.

Liam Dulson made it 3-0 when he lashed into the bottom corner of the net in the 36th minute.

City manager Darren Way brought on Brad Ash and Ollie Tomlinson at the start of the second half.

But only seven minutes after the resumption, Maidenhead struck again. This time a Ragguette cross was cleared only as far as Popoola, who made no mistake.

Bath chased a consolation goal but ended up well beaten. The defeat was their biggest since Darren Way took over as manager in December.

Way said of the match: “We went into the game knowing that this was probably going to be our toughest game. You could see how much speed they had in attack.

“To concede as early on as we did, we’re really disappointed. We had a good discussion in the dressing room, [after] conceding four goals.

“It’s important that the lads and myself take responsibility for that first 45. The second half, we gave a better account of ourselves.

“Maybe looking at the game we had on Saturday, we just couldn’t match them [Maidenhead] for speed or physicality in the first half.

“They’re the best team we’ve played against. That’s probably the first time we’ve never matched the physicality and intensity of what the game demanded in the first 45.

“When you go a goal down in the first minute, it causes a little bit of chaos in the arena.

“I apologise to the supporters first and foremost – and I’ve got to make sure that the lads bounce back. It’s been a bad 45 minutes of football and they’ve given me absolutely everything.”

On the bench for Bath against the Berkshire outfit was 18-year-old custodian Isaac Finch, signed on a month’s loan from Bristol City.

The move is to help solve the Romans’ keeper crisis ahead of bans for Wiles-Richards and Martin Horsell resulting from the duo’s red cards against Dorking Wanderers on Saturday 30th August.

Bath: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten, Parselle, Jenkins Davies, Wilson (Ash, 46), Clark (Tomlinson, 46), Fisher (Beardmore, 82), Tillson, Russe. Unused subs: Finch, Matthews, Sweeten, Alves.

The Romans will be on the road on Saturday 6th September when they visit Buckinghamshire side Chesham United in the league (3pm).

Bath have been drawn away to Pitching In Southern League Premier South outfit Wimborne Town, from East Dorset, in the second qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup.

The tie will be played at the Wyatt Homes Stadium on Saturday 13th September (3pm).

National League South sides are exempt to this stage of the competition, whereas Wimborne booked their place by winning 5-2 at Gloucestershire club Bishops Cleeve in the first qualifying round on Saturday 30th August.