Hampton & Richmond Borough (0) Bath City (2) 5 – Saturday 5 April 2025 – Vanarama National League South – Beveree Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Brad Ash marked his 29th birthday with a brace as Bath City demolished out-of-form Hampton & Richmond.
The Beavers were carved apart by Darren Way’s side, suffering a 12th defeat in 13 and sixth in a row at home.
Kieran Parselle, Jack Batten and Jordan Tillson were also on target in City’s biggest away league win in seven years.
It was also Way’s biggest win as a manager since a 6-0 success for Yeovil Town at Newport County in September 2018.
Alex Fisher represented the Glovers that afternoon, but the current Roman made way for Mitch Beardmore in City’s only change from the 0-0 draw with Hemel Hempstead Town.
Ash saw a penalty saved in that stalemate, but didn’t take long to break the deadlock at the Beveree.
Henry Jeffcott’s backpass to Max Merrick was perfectly adequate, but the goalkeeper unwisely delayed and Ash sensed an opportunity, charging down his clearance to force it over the line and give City a fourth minute lead.
Diamond Edwards, part of a Weymouth side who lost 3-0 to City in February, somehow squeezed between Parselle and Dan Greenslade from Archy Taylor’s pass inside, but pulled a yard wide of Harvey Wiles-Richards’ post when he should have tested the visiting stopper.
Mauro Vilhete wasted the hosts’ next opening. Jordan Alves’ intended pass to Ollie Tomlinson was pounced upon down the left, but the São Tomé e Príncipe international lofted well over from the corner of the penalty area.
Alves nearly made amends when he chased down Tomlinson’s ball on the right but his attempted flick across goal saw Merrick glove away from Ash with Ewan Clark unable to head home under pressure from Taylor.
Clark’s tame effort was easily taken by Merrick after City caught the home defence dallying, a regular theme as Alan Julian’s side seemed content to try and play their way out of trouble, a tough ask against the high energy and pressing from the Stripes.
And their sustained pressure led to a second.
Joe Raynes’ long throw was initially helped away by Mike Atkinson, but Edwards was dispossessed by Greenslade, allowing Clark to locate Ash on the left.
The striker was afforded room to cross for Parselle, whose excellent stooping header from six yards zoomed past Merrick.
It was the captain’s fifth goal of a fine campaign, and a fine way to mark 150 appearances for the Romans.
Vilhete and Alfie Williams shot too close to Wiles-Richards before the half was out as despite the two-goal margin, City switched things up at the break and swapped to a back three, sacrificing Clark and Alves for Batten and Fisher.
Raynes’ cross just bypassed Fisher and the onrushing Ash as the visitors started the second half well, penning Hampton back and restricting any attacking threat.
They effectively made sure of the victory on 67 minutes.
Greenslade’s throw-in wasn’t dealt with, Luke Russe kept the ball alive and Ash reacted quickest to slam into the roof of the net from six yards.
It was one of Ash’s last involvements as he was replaced by Scott Wilson, the striker returning from a two-week lay-off against a side who he’d netted three against in his previous three.
Instead, it was another player with a respectable goal record versus Hampton who made it 4-0 on 79 minutes.
Mitch Beardmore whipped in a corner from the left and Batten stole in front of Ibrahim Jalloh to glance a header into the bottom right corner, his first league goal since November 2023 and third for City against Hampton, contributing to one sixth of his overall tally in Stripes.
The best was saved until last. Raynes’ long throw was headed out to Tillson, loitering on the edge of the box, who steadied himself before expertly floating the ball into the top corner beating Merrick’s full-stretch dive.
It rubber-stamped City’s biggest away league win since April 2017 at Concord, which also corresponded with Grand National Day, as the Romans galloped past the 50-point mark with ease ahead of Dorking Wanderers’ visit to Twerton Park on Saturday.
Att: 722
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade (Frear 71), Parselle (c), Clark (Fisher HT), Tillson, Russe, Alves (Batten HT), Tomlinson, Beardmore (Nwabueze 79), Ash (Wilson 75).
Scorers: City – Ash (4, 67), Parselle (36), Batten (78), Tillson (84); Hampton – none
City Bookings: Batten (74)
Officials: J Bloxham, D Johnston, A Tregoning, D Torres Miranda (4th)
