Tonbridge Angels (0) 0 Bath City (0) 0 – Saturday 24 August 2024 – Vanarama National League South – Longmead Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Defences dominated in Kent as neither side could make a breakthrough in an uneventful goalless draw.
Ruben Davies, making his first start, spurned Bath City’s two best openings.
Harvey Wiles-Richards was seldom called upon in the away goal, aided by Nick Grimes, Jack Batten and Kieran Parselle all excelling in front of him.
It was only the second time in 25 visits that City had kept a clean sheet at Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium, combined with just the second time in 2024 that Tonbridge had failed to score at home.
“Even the coach is injured” quipped Jerry Gill on the morning of the game, having seen the team’s departure from Somerset delayed due to faulty windscreen wipers.
That meant they didn’t arrive until just after 2pm and the lack of ideal preparation showed in the opening minute when Nick Grimes’ mishit clearance fell to Sean Shields, who wastefully curled straight at Wiles-Richards from wide of the penalty area.
City’s first opening was brilliantly worked. Scott Wilson held off Nazir Bakrin and spotted an overlapping run of Jordan Alves on the left. The winger drilled low across the face of goal and only Liam Vincent’s intervention prevented a tap-in for Ewan Clark.
From the resulting corner Sol Wanjau-Smith’s shot was inadvertently blocked by Davies.
Davies was involved in City’s next opening. Batten’s diagonal was flicked by Wilson to the Welshman, but the attacker got the ball stuck within his feet allowing Bakrin to hold him up and prevent a shot on goal.
Latrell Humphrey-Ewers’ speculative effort flew way over in the closing stages of a forgettable half.
The theme continued into the second as Tonbridge largely failed to get to grips with the slickness of their 3G surface, with the ball zipping around after heavy rain in the first half.
Scott Wagstaff shanked well wide.
Davies was presented with a half-chance just past the hour.
Humphrey-Ewers dinked the ball into his path and with home goalkeeper Toby Steward rashly darting off his line, Davies got the better of him but off balance he spooned wide from wide of the penalty box.
Liam Vincent shot too close to Wiles-Richards from a tough angle, trying in vain to add to his three goals in the opening three games this term.
A tremendously timed tackle from Parselle denied Shields through on goal. The captain nicked the ball away when Jeremy Santos appeared to have manufactured an opening for the hosts.
Angels wasted the chance to break the deadlock with two minutes remaining. Crossley Lema found a rare pocket of space on the right but his centre was too hard for Rayan Clarke, who couldn’t collect and the ball dribbled out of play.
It was the last moment of excitement in a game which won’t live long in the memory, but a creditable effort from Gill’s side who were seldom troubled and deserved their point.
Att:791
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Grimes, Batten, Parselle (c), Wanjau-Smith, Humphrey-Ewers, Wilson, Clark, Tillson, Davies, Alves. Subs not used: Sardo, Fisher, Sweeten, Morgan.
Scorers: City – none; Tonbridge – none
City Bookings: none
Officials: M Conn, D Payne, R Chantrill-Smith, J Evans (4th)