Darren Way said he was extremely disappointed after a late goal condemned Bath City to a damaging defeat when they entertained Slough Town in Enterprise National League South on Tuesday 3rd March.
Agony for Bath City as Slough Town celebrate their late winner at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park on Tuesday 3rd March | Photo © Simon Howe
The Romans went down 1-0 at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park on an evening when their fellow strugglers Enfield Town, Farnborough and Hampton & Richmond Borough all drew.
The outcome was that City remain in 21st spot in the table, albeit now two points adrift of 20th-placed Farnborough – who occupy the last of the ‘safe’ positions – and with Enfield joining Eastbourne Borough in being only one point adrift of Way’s men.
However, Bath have between two and four matches in hand on all of the teams around them.
Wiktor Makowski grabbed Slough’s winner in the 84th minute, lobbing Romans’ keeper Charlie Binns after the Berkshire outfit turned defence into attack.
Bath City’s Luke Skinner looks to accelerate away from his Slough Town marker during the Enterprise National League South game on Tuesday 3rd March | Photo © Simon Howe
Makowski latched onto a clearance, beat Kieran Parselle and caught Binns off his line.
But early on, Alex Fisher forced a superb save from Rebels’ gloveman Alfie Marriott – and right at the end, Sheppard crashed the ball off the bar.
City manager Way said: “Extremely disappointed we didn’t get anything out of it.
“I felt we defended for large periods of the game, didn’t feel under threat at any moment, and we find ourselves 1-0 down against the run of play with just a direct ball forward.
“We didn’t deal with the event, there’s little bit of a mix-up and then you’re thinking ‘Here we go again’.
“Players need to start taking a little bit more accountability to stick the ball in the back of the net because you’re forever under pressure if you don’t score goals.
“We had enough forwards on there at one stage. Having said that we lost Fisher for a hamstring, then we lost Donovan [Wilson] for a hamstring.
Dan Greenslade in control for Bath City against Slough Town at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park | Photo © Simon Howe
“At one stage we had [Mitch] Beardmore up top and then we had [Matt] Bowman up top and we brought on Mo [Moses Alexander-Walker] and you’re looking at the squad and thinking ‘We’re really a little bit light to be able to get the game back’.
“Having said that, Reubin Sheppard came on and did really well.
“We did almost lose nine players, out. Jack Batten was a big miss. Then we had Owen Windsor [out with food poisoning].
“Congratulations to Luke Russe whose wife had a baby, that’s why he missed the game.
“We’re in that little bit of an unlucky stage where some of the players I’ve brought to the football club, Will Jenkins, Brad Ash and Owen Windsor, they’re all out so someone else has to step up and take accountability for that.
“I just think we didn’t do enough to score even though we had chances.
“If you’re having waves of attacks but you’re not scoring, it’s always going to put you under pressure with one ball at the other end, and that’s exactly what’s happened today and has happened far too many times this season.
“Having said that we’ve got to regroup, we’ve got to get ready to go again on Saturday [7th March]. We’ve still got to get the five wins and three or four draws. I’m up for the fight.”
Bath: Charlie Binns, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade (Joel Sullivan, 85), Kieran Parselle, Jordan Alves, Alex Fisher (Moses Alexander-Walker, 69), Jordan Tillson, Mitch Beardmore (Reubin Sheppard, 85), Matt Bowman, Jaiden Putman, Donovan Wilson (Luke Skinner, 14). Unused sub: Martin Horsell.
The Romans will visit promotion-chasing Essex outfit Chelmsford City in the league on 7th March (3pm).
Tickets for the match at The Dunmow Group Community Stadium are available here.
And City will return to the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park on Tuesday 10th March, when their relentless schedule continues with a vital encounter with Farnborough (7.45pm).
Discounted tickets for the clash with the Hampshire team are available here.
