Bath City (0) 0 St Albans City (0) 1 – Saturday 15 February 2025 – Vanarama National League South – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Aidan Dausch’s first career goal saw Bath City succumb to defeat at home to struggling St Albans.
The American forward, on loan from Coventry, benefitted on a defensive lapse to clinch a league double for the Saints over the Romans.
Harvey Wiles-Richards had earlier saved Zane Banton’s penalty, soon after City were denied one themselves when James Clarridge appealed to handle.
A failure to significantly test Michael Johnson in the visiting goal meant back-to-back home defeats for Darren Way’s side.
Way handed a first start for Jesse Nwabueze and was without the suspended Jordan Tillson and Jordan Alves, leaving his bench depleted ahead of a game against a side unbeaten in X, albeit five of those games drawn.
David Long-King’s header was comfortably taken from Wiles-Richards in the 14th minute in the first effort on target for either side.
The Saints squandered a better opportunity two minutes later. The lively James Sweet dispossessed Dan Greenslade, charged in on goal but side-footed against the base of the right post with Wiles-Richards beaten.
City were denied a strong penalty shout when Greenslade’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Kieran Parselle, with the ball appearing to ricochet off the arm of Clarridge.
Referee George Laflin was unmoved and cautioned Jack Batten for his protests.
Parselle proved his worth at the other end on the half hour. Josh Castiglione found Banton in the area, his shot across goal saw Wiles-Richards take the sting out of it, allowing the City captain to acrobatically clear from the line.
St Albans were awarded a penalty 10 minutes before the break. Deon Woodman’s crossfield ball picked out Brandon Mason, he heavily touched the ball inside the penalty area beyond Joe Raynes before going to ground from the wing-back’s challenge.
With Dausch seeing his kick saved in the week at home to Slough, responsibility was passed to Banton. He had no joy either, seeing his kick well parried by Wiles-Richards down to his left, with Ewan Clark eventually scrambling the rebound away.
The over-worked City stopped kept out Mason at his near post and saw Clarridge’s drive from distance sail just over.
Ian Culverhouse’s opened the scoring with their first attack of the second half, accepting a gift from the City players.
Luke Russe’s attempted pass back towards Batten was hit with such force that it bypassed him and left Dausch through on goal. The striker kept his composure, drawing Wiles-Richards from his line before calmly planting inside the bottom right corner.
The closest City came to equalising arrived on 65 minutes. Greenslade’s corner found its way to Parselle in a crowded box, his shot was destined for the bottom corner by Woodman was perfectly placed on the line to clear.
Elliott Frear and Brad Ash were introduced just after and combined to good effect with Frear’s cross nodded wide by the striker, who is still searching for his first goal since his debut strike at Chippenham.
Scott Wilson dragged wide and was later denied by a combination of Woodman and Clarridge as City found the away side’s back three a tough nut to crack.
Wiles-Richards came up for two corners at the end and was beaten in the air by Saints keeper Michael Johnson for one as the visitors held on to claim three important points.
Att: 1159
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten (Frear 66), Parselle (c), Wilson, Clark, Russe, Tomlinson, Beardmore, Nwabueze (Ash 66). Subs not used: Sweeten, Mabika, Horsell.
Scorers: City – none; St Albans – Dausch (51)
City Bookings: Batten (25), Tomlinson (71)
Officials: G Laflin, D Frizzell, N Templey, B Wootten (4th)