Bath City Women 1st (3) 4 Purton Women (0) 1 – Sunday 3 November 2024 – Regen Arable SW Regional WFL Div 1N – The Redhouse
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Three goals in the opening 20 minutes paved the way for Bath City Women’s fine win at Purton.
Matt Abreu’s side largely controlled proceedings on a rutted surface to seal their biggest victory so far this season.
Goals from Amy Key, Adella Clarke, Tara Taylor and Libby Goater did the damage in Wiltshire, with Emma Skinner responding for the hosts.
Key’s goal arrived on just 73 seconds. Maddy Brown played the ball back to the advanced full-back and she cut inside before lashing into the top corner past Thorn Sigthorsdottir Corrigan from 20 yards.
The goalkeeper had a moment to forget for the second when a bobble saw her air kick a backpass, allowing Clarke to side-foot home from just inside the box.
Brown’s cross from the left led to City’s third on 20 minutes. Her delivery just missed Goater but Taylor was well placed to fire in a controlled half volley which left the keeper helpless.
Despite only having 11 players to call upon, Purton showed spirit after the break and were rewarded with a controversial consolation.
Referee Mark Niemerski granted permission for a substitution, but allowed play to continue while the hosts took a quick free-kick, catching City off guard. Skinner eventually jabbed home after rounding Sadie Farley with most of her teammates statue-esque.
Kacie Anderson’s chip fell inches wide of Farley’s far post in another opening, but City regrouped and finished strongly.
Goater was denied by a superb save from Sigthorsdottir Corrigan before she rounded off a lethal counter attack.
Clarke led the charge before laying it back to Goater, who steadied herself before hammering into the roof of the net to open her account this term and seal a well-earned three points.
City’s Line-Up: Farley; Hemmings, Fry, J Harris, Key; Thorner-Atkinson, Spratt; Taylor, Goater, Brown; Clarke. Subs used: Gray, A Harris, Trivett.
Scorers: City – Key (2), Clarke (14), Taylor (20), Goater (84); Purton – Skinner (66)
Referee: Mark Niemerski