Bath City Women have recorded their sixth straight victory across all competitions – but they had to work hard to overcome the challenge of Shield Services Group South West Regional Women’s League Division One North’s bottom club.
Bath City Women’s Abby Gray – here going for goal against Downend Flyers in October – hit the bar in the 3-1 victory over bottom club AFC Brislington Ladies on Sunday 22nd February | Photo © Simon Howe
The Romans travelled to AFC Brislington Ladies – who had secured only one point from their previous 15 games – on Sunday 22nd February and were forced to come from behind to record a 3-1 success.
City had thrashed the Foxes 8-0 when the sides met at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park in November.
But a shock result was in the offing when Brislington went ahead through captain Libby Sims in the return fixture.
Fortunately for Bath, a goal apiece from Nell Bloomfield and substitutes Rosie Burridge and Beth Edwards turned things around and earned the visitors their seventh win of the league campaign.
However, the triumph was marred by a broken wrist suffered by the Romans’ former UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers player Clodagh Moran in injury-time.
The Foxes took the lead in the 12th minute. City keeper Lucy Clay collided with Bloomfield when claiming a cross from Rhianna Ben-Carew. Clay lost possession and Sims popped home the loose ball.
Bex Fry and Jasmine Rennie both hit the bar as Bath battled back.
However, Bris certainly were not finished – and a free-kick from Sims struck the top of the City bar.
But it was almost 1-1 before the break, as Abby Gray sent a header against the hosts’ bar and Emma Vilday was unable to bury the rebound.
The Romans finally got back on terms in the 53rd minute, Bloomfield heading in from a Maddy Brown corner.
And the travellers edged in front midway through the second period when Burridge headed past Brislington custodian Kia Houghton following a Tara Taylor flag-kick.
Maximum points were sealed when, in the 89th minute, Edwards fired past Houghton.
City will be hoping it is a case of magnificent seven when they visit Bitton Ladies tonight, Wednesday 25th February, in another Division One North derby (7.45pm).
After that, Bath will take on Royal Wootton Bassett Town Ladies at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park in a league match on Sunday 1st March (2pm).
Bath City Women Development suffered the heartbreak of defeat on penalties when they visited divisional rivals Cheddar Ladies on Sunday 22nd February in the Somerset County Women’s League Chairman’s Cup quarter-finals.
The Sedgemoor outfit were 3-1 winners from the spot following a 3-3 draw at Bowdens Park.
Lucy Charlesworth, Letitia Davis and Oliwia Kozlowska netted in regular play for Bath, who will go to table-topping Portishead Town Ladies Reserves in Division One on Sunday 1st March (2pm).
Odd Down Women will be in action for the first time since Sunday 18th January when they host Street Women at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground on Sunday 1st March in Somerset County Women’s League Division Two (2pm).
The Down lead a tight division where only four points separate them from the fourth-placed Cobblers. However, the Bath club have played one game fewer than the team from the Tannery Ground.
