Bath City (1) 1 Welling United (0) 0 – Saturday 17 August 2024 – Vanarama National League South – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Scott Wilson’s first goal of the season confirmed Bath City’s first win of the season.
The striker, now sporting the number nine shirt, smartly finished in the first half to confirm a third successive win over Welling United.
The Wings were denied a penalty in added time when Gene Kennedy went down under Ben Morgan’s challenge.
They had already been reduced to 10 men by then and saw kitman Rob Whitton, a former National League South referee, sent off from the dugout for protesting the non-penalty.
New faces in the dugout from Welling was a familiar theme – Rod Stringer was the ninth different manager to face City at Twerton in nine games.
His team matched the Romans in the early exchanges. Their first scare saw Ewan Clark curl wide from just outside the box after Sol Wanjau-Smith appeared to be bodychecked in the box by Dave Winfield in the build-up.
Kieran Parselle wildly volleyed Clark’s corner over before Kennedy shot too close to Harvey Wiles-Richards from 18 yards after Joe Raynes was put into trouble.
Reece Grant wasted a glorious opening on 22 minutes. Martell Taylor-Crossdale skipped to the byline and drove back for his strike partner, but under pressure from Jack Batten he ballooned way over from close range.
They were made to pay at City took the lead just past the half hour.
Patient play down the right concluded with Jordan Tillson’s cross being flicked on by Wanjau-Smith.
It landed perfectly for Wilson who showed excellent close control to muscle his way past Chiori Johnson, engineering half a yard of space before drilling past Rhys Lovett from near the penalty spot.
The forward had netted two against Welling last term in a 4-0 win and he sought to replicate that, but his low trickler was a simple take for Lovett.
Welling blew the chance to level 10 minutes after half-time.
Kennedy found Johnson in room on the right, he played it back to Kennedy who sidestepped Batten before poking into the side-netting when he should have tested Wiles-Richards.
Tillson, enjoying a fine home debut, nearly improved it with a half volley which bounced just wide with Lovett at full stretch.
Alex Fisher, also making his home bow, set Clark clean through with a delicious through ball. The winger attempted to round Lovett but the keeper stalled his progress with former City defender Dan Martin also doing enough to deny a way through.
Welling were reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute. Batten denied Buchell and his opponent’s desperate lunge saw him catch the long-serving City centre-back.
He was given a second yellow card after a lengthy delay and left the visitors livid with manager Stringer cautioned.
Their fury boiled over deep into stoppage time. Martin’s clever reverse ball set Kennedy in the clear, he attempted to bypass a challenge of Morgan and tumbled over.
While the players’ protests were reserved, the Welling bench were apoplectic and fourth official Jack Bromham called referee Stacey Pearson over, who showed Whitton a red card.
There wasn’t enough time for United to mount another attack as City recorded a deserved win.
Att: 1063
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Batten, Parselle (c), Wanjau-Smith (Alves 72), Humprey-Ewers, Wilson, Clark, Fisher (Davies 81), Tillson, Morgan. Subs not used: Sardo, Sweeten.
Scorers: City – Wilson (33); Welling – none
City Bookings: Tillson (90+3)
Officials: S Pearson, G Pearce, A McAnoy, J Bromham (4th)