Bath City could be relegated from Enterprise National League South on Saturday 11th April.
Bath City players celebrate after beating Chippenham Town on Good Friday – their first victory in 15 games in Enterprise National League South | Photo © Simon Howe
Results on Easter Monday, 6th April, mean the second-bottom Romans are 10 points adrift of Farnborough – who occupy the last of the ‘safe’ positions – with only four matches remaining.
Scott Bartlett’s team will take on Chesham United at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park on 11th April, knowing that they could end the afternoon having suffered the drop to the Pitching In Southern League for 2026-27.
While City were being thumped 4-1 at Torquay United on 6th April, Farnborough overcame visitors Horsham 2-0 to increase the pressure on the Somerset side.
Clubs other than Boro face the prospect, mathematically at least, of being dragged into the relegation zone by the Romans. But Bath are in by far the most jeopardy, lying 12 points behind Salisbury, Hampton & Richmond Borough and Dover Athletic and with a far worse goal-difference – and having posted just one league victory in 16 attempts.
Scott Wilson slots in Bath City’s dramatic late winner in the Good Friday derby with Chippenham Town | Photo © Simon Howe
Roared on by the vast majority of a 4,430-strong crowd, promotion-hopefuls Torquay went in front against Bath after 11 minutes. Reece Evans was the marksman, his 18-yarder taking a deflection and going past keeper Charlie Binns.
However, the Romans gave their 205 travelling supporters something to cheer when Jordan Alves levelled matters from 20 yards eight minutes later.
The Gulls regained the initiative in the 34th minute, though, Dylan Morgan on target from the edge of the box following a short corner.
And it was 3-1 in the 48th minute, Morgan curling the ball low past Binns.
Bath City’s Ollie Tomlinson in action against Chippenham Town at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park | Photo © Simon Howe
Morgan completed his hat-trick by netting Torquay’s fourth goal, this in the 59th minute. Dan Hayfield’s shot was blocked and the loose ball fell to Morgan, who made no mistake.
The result could have been even more emphatic, as substitute Callum Dolan slammed the ball off a Bath post with 17 minutes remaining.
Further bad news for City came early on, when Will Jenkins Davies – who was back after injury – went off with a hamstring problem.
Bath boss Bartlett said: “Even if we had everyone fit, I’m not sure we’d have had enough to come to Torquay away on a bank holiday [and get something].
“Up til half-time, I was quite happy. I thought we were really competitive, compact, broke on them well, scored a good goal.
“Second half, their quality, their options coupled with our fatigue and lack of options and experience just took the game away from the lads.
“I think they [the Bath players] gave everything for us again. So it’s a good group for that.
“Whatever we do going forward, we’ve got to add a lot of quality to the group and get some robustness in there.
“Loads to be positive about but, obviously, the game got away from us against a really good Torquay team, and we wish them all the best.”
Although City live to fight another day, both Enfield Town and Eastbourne Borough were demoted on 6th April.
Enfield’s 0-0 draw with Hemel Hempstead Town means they are 10 points behind Farnborough but with only three matches to go.
And bottom club Eastbourne went through the trapdoor despite a 1-1 draw with Tonbridge Angels.
Bath: Charlie Binns, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade, Ollie Tomlinson, Kieran Parselle, Jordan Alves (Alex Fisher, 71), Will Jenkins Davies (Reubin Sheppard, 5), Scott Wilson, Owen Windsor, Jaiden Putman (Moses Alexander-Walker, 79), Josh Laqeretabua. Unused subs: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Louis Sweeten, Owen Pritchard, Matt Bowman.
An injury-time goal from Scott Wilson ensured Bath took the bragging rights from their league derby with Chippenham Town on Good Friday, 3rd April.
A crowd of 2,040 at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park saw Wilson strike from an Owen Windsor cross to secure a 1-0 home win that handed Bartlett his opening victory as City manager – and the club’s first victory in 15 league fixtures.
Wilson had hit a post just before regular time was up.
However, Binns was also a big hero for the Romans. He made some superb saves to keep the Bluebirds out.
Bartlett said: “I’m really pleased for the players. I thought they dug in.
“We were beaten by a really strong Maidenhead [United] team on Tuesday [31st March].
“The lads have obviously looked after themselves, like we asked them to, and they’ve come here today with a really good attitude towards the game.
“I felt that Chippenham had better passages of play, more controlled than us. But we’re in a difficult spot, we need to remember that.
“The players were really competitive today. We came out of a lot of duels with the ball. I thought our back four, midfield players and our front two, particularly second half, really held the ball up and gave us a threat going the other way.
“So I’m really pleased because it’s been a tough time for everybody.
“The fans were outstanding again, as they were in the other two games that we’ve had so far.
“And it gives us a little bit of something to build on because you can win games like that, where it’s not particularly pretty.”
Bath: Charlie Binns, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade, Ollie Tomlinson, Kieran Parselle, Jordan Alves, Brad Ash (Scott Wilson, 46), Owen Windsor, Jaiden Putman, Josh Laqeretabua, Donovan Wilson. Unused subs: Martin Horsell, Louis Sweeten, Owen Pritchard, Matt Bowman, Reubin Sheppard, Moses Alexander-Walker.
Discounted tickets for the game with Chesham (3pm) can be bought here.
And tickets for the Romans’ league match against AFC Totton at Snows Stadium on Tuesday 14th April (7.45pm) can be purchased here.
