Bath City Women 1st (1) 2 Royal Wootton Bassett Town Ladies 1st (0) 1 – Sunday 8 October 2023 – South West WFL Eastern Division – Twerton Park
Match Report by Fin Harlow.
Amy Key’s well-taken added time goal sealed Bath City’s first win of the season.
Her cute finish inflicted a first defeat on Royal Wootton Bassett Town, after Laura Jefferies’ free-kick looked to have secured a point for the visitors.
The home side initially took the lead in the 10th minute when player of the match Abby Gray headed home from a corner.
It looked like City were heading for a third home draw from three until Key’s late intervention.
In a new-look 3-5-2 formation, the Romans dominated the early stages of the game and quickly broke the deadlock.
Key swung in a superb corner from the right which was pounced upon by Gray, who from a yard out rose highest to nod in her first goal for Bath.
The away side grew into the game following this setback but they were constantly thwarted by the Bath defence who stood firm and restricted them to half chances, Laura Gulliver’s curler from distance deflected wide in the closest opening for the Wiltshire side.
This trend continued into the second half until Wootton Bassett’s breakthrough goal.
After Ashley Harris conceded a free-kick some 40 yards out, captain Jefferies stepped up and smashed the ball over the head of goalkeeper Sadie Farley into the roof of the net.
With Emily Dellow and Key reintroduced in attack, City hunted for a winner and took their chance a minute into stoppage time.
Harris’ superb defence splitting pass picked out Key, who timed her run perfectly before delicately lofting the ball over Powell into the bottom right corner to seal an excellent victory over the high-flying Town.
Att: 107
City’s Line-Up: Farley, Evans, Bellotti, Gray, Curtis, Black, Taylor (c), Harris, Harvey, E Dellow, Key. Subs Used: Sabic, Jeffries, Wells, Wright.
Scorers: City – Gray (10), Key (90+1); RWBT – Jefferies (80)
Referee: Justin Cox