Aldershot (1) 2 Bath City (0) 1 – Saturday 12 October 2024 – FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round – The Ebb Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Maxwell Mullins’ dramatic 98th minute finish knocked Bath City out of the FA Cup.
In a cruel finale at the EBB Stadium, 10-man Aldershot Town netted with the final attack of the game when a replay looked certain.
Alex Fisher had cancelled out Ashley Akpan’s first half opener, and with the hosts’ Christian Maghoma dismissed, it looked like City’s luck in the 4th Qualifying Round would change.
Instead, it felt a familiar story as the Romans’ misfortune at this stage struck again when they would have deserved a second chance at Twerton Park.
An injury in training to Jack Batten saw him lose his ever-present run of starts this season, and Jerry Gill was dealt another blow on 20 minutes when Scott Wilson, an ex-Aldershot loanee, pulled up and had to be replaced by Elliott Frear.
Aldershot took the lead within minutes of Wilson’s withdrawal.
Tyler Frost skipped the other side of Joe James, fizzed the ball in from the byline and Akpan scruffily forced it home despite Dan Greenslade’s efforts on the line.
Josh Barrett curled wide from the angle of the penalty area and Cam Hargreaves’ shot deflected over via Jordan Tillson as the hosts, a level above City in the pyramid, began to demonstrate the gap.
Gill shuffled his pack at the break with Luke Russe replacing Jordan Alves leaving Fisher up top alone in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
While the Romans immediately looked improved, Harvey Wiles-Richards was the first goalkeeper tested as Frost’s fierce strike having cut inside was beaten away by the City stopper.
A moment of madness saw the Shots reduced to 10 men on 57 minutes.
James’ ball down the line was chased by Sol Wanjau-Smith and he was caught chest high by Maghoma’s out of control challenge, leaving referee Wayne Cartmel little alternative but to send the centre-back off.
From Latrell Humphrey-Ewers’ resulting free-kick, the ball found its way to Fisher but he contrived to hook over from two yards out.
The lively Frost, sacrificed to left-back following the dismissal, still gleefully floated forward as he made room before drilling wide of Wiles-Richards’ right post from outside the box.
City stayed in the game and their efforts were rewarded with a 76th minute equaliser.
Greenslade and Frear combined to the left to cross for Fisher, whose intelligent run preceded a first-time finish off his standing leg past the outstretched Jordi van Stappershoef.
It was the first time the Romans had scored in the 4th Qualifying Round for 10 years and they sensed a first win at this stage since 2011.
Fisher inadvertently blocked Kieran Parselle’s header towards goal as fear appeared to creep into the hosts with City’s high press forcing mistakes.
Nick Grimes headed off target and Russe side-footed wide, each promising positions and their profligacy came back to haunt them big time.
With just over seven additional minutes played, Hargreaves’ quick free-kick was eventually knocked wide to Olly Scott and his low centre was met at the near post by substitute Mullins, who fired in to end cup dreams for another year.
The players’ efforts didn’t go unnoticed by 332 Bath City fans afterwards who heartily applauded the team off, but travelled home with the disappointment at the end of another FA Cup journey in the qualifying stages – a 33rd defeat in this round and sixth under a luckless Gill.
Att: 2121 (332 away fans)
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Greenslade, Grimes, Parselle (c), Wanjau-Smith, Humphrey-Ewers, Wilson (Frear 21), Fisher, Tillson, James (Raynes 73), Alves (Russe HT). Subs not used: Sardo, Sweeten, Mabika.
Scorers: City – Fisher (76); Aldershot – Akpan (24), Mullins (90+8)
City Bookings: none
Officials: W Cartmel, R Whitaker, S Farrer, C Martland (4th)