Bath City (0) 2 Chelmsford City (1) 1 – Tuesday 4 February 2025 – Vanarama National League South – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Ollie Tomlinson’s first goal for Bath City earned the Romans a comeback win over Chelmsford City.
Jake Hyde had headed Chelmsford ahead in the first half.
Luke Russe’s clever acrobatic finish brought City level just past the hour before Tomlinson settled an absorbing contest.
It was the first time City had won a league game from a losing position since April 2023 and moves them 11 points clear of the bottom four.
Chelmsford had won six of the last seven meetings including a straightforward 3-0 victory in Essex in September.
They almost had a dream start in this re-arranged game. Inside 15 seconds Charlie Ruff struck the inside of the post, though Kane Crichlow was deemed to have been offside in the build-up.
Joe Raynes slipped when attempting to shoot after Dan Greenslade’s cross deflected kindly for him.
Jordan Alves latched on to Brad Ash’s ball around the corner but shot too close to Ted Collins from a tight angle.
Brad Ash and Scott Wilson linked up with Harry Barbrook importantly placed to prevent Ash a tap in – with under 20 minutes played, City had created more than Saturday’s draw at Truro.
They thought they had been rewarded with an opener when Collins spilled Alves’ free-kick for Wilson to tap in, but referee Jake Allsopp chalked it off for a foul on the keeper.
Chelmsford broke the deadlock against the run of play.
Archie Tamplin was afforded too much space to cross from the right, his ball bounced in the box and Hyde’s glancing header beat Harvey Wiles-Richards all ends up.
Robbie Simpson’s men suddenly looked more confident and nearly made it two on the half hour when Crichlow laid off for Hyde, who saw his shot repelled by Wiles-Richards’ sharp reflexes inside his right post.
Crichlow was also denied just before the break by the City stopper. Russe’s loose header back was collected by Ruff, who combined with Hyde before Crichlow was frustrated by the home custodian’s presence.
The away side’s improvement continued after half-time. Crichlow was played through from Ruff, escaped Tomlinson but again Wiles-Richards covered the angle and snuffed him out.
Wilson missed a glorious chance to equalise on 49 minutes. Russe’s lofted ball was inadvertently headed back inside by Sam Oguntayo onto the forward’s laces, but he volleyed over from 10 yards.
To add to City’s misery, Alves hobbled off soon after with Ewan Clark taking his place in the front three.
Hyde could have made the game safe just past the hour. The City defence stopped from Oguntayo’s ball over the top and from wide of goal, he drove too close to Wiles-Richards’ legs.
It proved vital as within two minutes City were level.
Frankie Edwards’ wayward clearance eventually led to Jordan Tillson sliding through to Frear on the left. His drilled ball was magnificently finished by Russe with an acrobatic overhead kick, an instinctive finish from the corner of the six yard box.
It was his third goal for the club and all under different managers.
Wilson nearly turned the game on its head when Greenslade’s delivery from the left was helped towards goal by the forward, but it lacked finesse which allowed Collins to easily take.
Ash’s ball across goal just evaded Clark a tap-in as the game continued in a pulsating manner with chances aplenty and intensity high. City also added further energy with substitute Jesse Nwabueze on for his debut having signed following his release from Ipswich Town.
Barbrook fed Hyde away down the left for Chelmsford but with room running out he shot too close to Wiles-Richards.
A second for City arrived with nine minutes remaining. Raynes’ corner was fumbled under pressure by Collins, and Tomlinson did exceptionally well to control and slam home from close range.
Predictably a siege from Chelmsford followed as they tried to take at least a point.
Jacob Bland’s corner was headed goalwards by Arthur Penney but having scored in the previous meeting, his luck wasn’t in again as Wiles-Richards scrambled it behind.
City saw out the pressure to claim a deserved three points and extend Darren Way’s strong start as manager – he’s overseen just one defeat in seven since taking over.
Att: 778
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Parselle (c), Wilson, Frear (Batten 88), Tillson, Russe, Alves (Clark 55), Tomlinson, Ash (Nwabueze 73). Subs not used: Sweeten, Horsell.
Scorers: City – Russe (63), Tomlinson (82); Chelmsford – Hyde (26)
City Bookings: Tillson (87), Raynes (90)
Officials: J Allsopp, T Green, S Mitchem, J Woolley (4th)