Bath City (0) 2 Chertsey Town (0) 3 – Saturday 16 November 2024 – FA Trophy 2nd Round – Twerton Park
Match Report by Alan Cooper.
Bath City were made to lick their wounds as an 89th minute winner from Southern League side Chertsey Town knocked out the higher-league Romans on another disappointing afternoon at Twerton Park.
Jerry Gill’s programme notes underlined the importance of a good FA Trophy run, however Chertsey didn’t read the script.
In truth, Chertsey, managed by former Aldershot Town defender Mark Harper, could have been out of the game by half-time as Bath enjoyed more possession in the first period but failed to make it count as they wasted numerous chances.
Luton Town loanee Josh Phillips gave the Chertsey defence a torrid time in the opening quarter, enjoying yards of free space where he produced a succession of deep crosses which ultimately came to nothing. Jordan Tillson’s accuracy with the cross-field ball was key for Phillips’ armoury as Bath forced three corners in the first ten minutes.
From one such tantalising cross on 24 minutes, centre-back Jack Batten was desperately unlucky to flash his header over with goalkeeper Jack Smith rooted to his goal-line.
Chertsey had offered little going forward in the opening half an hour, despite having scored 34 goals in the league below Bath so far this season, although Oliver Knight did manage to get in behind the hosts’ defence but shot off target.
For all of the industry shown by Bath, the opening half proved a disappointing one in terms of wasted opportunities. That all changed in the second period though when Joe Raynes’ pin-point corner escaped several headers before Kieran Parselle cushioned the ball back to Batten to blast in from close range.
Against the run of play though, Chertsey managed level the game just 16 minutes later when Conor Lee’s excellent cross found Jack Mazzone whose initial shot was parried by Harvey Wiles-Richards, into the past of Knight who sent a vicious follow-up to bulge the back of the net.
Bath looked to have won the game on 79 minutes when Batten escaped a flurry of boots to head home Danny Greenslade’s brilliantly executed free-kick, and Phillips almost put the game beyond all doubt with six minutes remaining however his mesmerising run into the box was ended with a caution for an apparent dive.
Moments later, Chertsey began to expose spaces on the left and, practically out of nothing, they levelled through substitute Toby Little who stole in from the flank to fire a cross-cum-shot past Wiles-Richards and into the roof of the net.
Worse to happen in the final minute as Bath lost the ball in midfield and Knight was on hand to deliver the most accurate of crosses which sharp-shooter Mazzone perfectly headed past Wiles-Richards’ despairing leap.
In the three minutes of added time, Bath threw everything at Chertsey but were unable to get past a sturdy defence and were left scratching their heads as to how this one got away from them.
Att: 779
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten, Parselle (c), Wilson (Alves 67), Fisher, Tillson, Russe, J Phillips, Anthony (Frear 81). Subs not used: Wanjau-Smith, Humphrey-Ewers, Sardo.
Scorers: City – Batten (55, 79); Chertsey – Knight (70), Little (85), Mazzone (90)
City Bookings: J Phillips (84)
Officials: S Hughes, S Mitchem, S Wilmot, E Broad (4th)