Gloucester City Women (1) 4 Bath City Women (2) 2 – Sunday 12 January 2025 – Regen Arable SW Regional WFL Div 1N – TigerTurf Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Impressive Bath City gave runaway leaders Gloucester City an almighty scare at the TigerTurf Stadium.
Matt Abreu’s side led 2-0 through Libby Goater and debutant Shannon Redhouse.
Laina Warren pulled one back for the shellshocked hosts just before half-time, and they eventually prevailed in a pulsating contest with three late goals to maintain their 100% winning run to 11 games.
In contrast, it was City’s first defeat on the road since losing at the same venue in the Women’s FA Cup in October 2023.
Gloucester nearly made the perfect start. With just 15 seconds played, Maggie Neall’s ball from the back bypassed Abby Gray and Bex Fry for Sacha Kaneko-Grun to run on to, but a second’s hesitation from the free-scoring forward was enough for Sadie Farley to block her.
It woke City up as they took the game to the hosts, knocking the ball around superbly on the 3G surface and leaving the hosts frustrated.
Adella Clarke hooked a difficult opening over before the forward side-footed inches wide from 30 yards, shooting early from Koz Thorner-Atkinson’s flicked header through.
Farley prevented Hollie Handisides low to her right in a rare opening for the hosts, who struggled to find a way past City’s back three with the trio excelling as part of a fine display.
Abreu’s team grabbed a deserved opener on 36 minutes. Erin Duffy’s cross was only half cleared by Kassidy Grey to Goater, who beautifully lofted over goalkeeper Sam Linteo from 20 yards.
Having only conceded five goals in 10 league games heading into the contest, Linteo was swiftly picking the ball out of her net again.
Ash Harris won the ball back high up the field and Goater slipped it through to Redhouse. The quick footed forward, only just on as a substitute, attempted to round Linteo who clumsily upended her for a penalty.
Redhouse took on responsibility and perfectly placed her penalty just inside the right post to double the Romans’ lead.
Gloucester halved the deficit two minutes before the break. Handisides played the ball inside to Warren and her tremendous strike from 30 yards flew over the stranded Farley.
The second half started with City continuing their intensity as Goater shot too close to Linteo after a high press forced mistakes from the hosts.
They struggled to convert their possession into more telling chances, and it proved costly as the contest swayed back in Gloucester’s favour from the hour mark as City began to tire.
Neall’s corner was inadvertently glanced narrowly wide off Tara Taylor, and Kim Smith’s set-piece saw Kami Stichter initially blocked by Jasmin Harris before her follow-up was superbly kept out by Farley’s legs before Fry hammered clear.
The pressure eventually told on 72 minutes. Following patient play down the left, Emine Akkurt made space in the box and her low drive clipped off the heels of Jasmin Harris and trickled home.
Handisides hit the outside of the post from distance and Neall’s cross was juggled by Farley, who was adjudged to have prevented the ball crossing the line despite the home team’s protestations.
Neall was to have her glory a few minutes later. A free-kick from near the right touchline was too hot for Farley to handle as she palmed into the roof of the net, sending the hosts into raptures.
Their celebrations were almost immediately halted as Maddy Brown had a chance from the restart but shot too close to Linteo, who denied her again on 87 minutes.
The keeper’s initial poor clearance was headed inside by Thorner-Atkinson to Brown, who was just beaten to the ball by the American stopper, with Clarke unable to force home the rebound as Linteo somehow smothered the loose ball while grounded.
City went all out for a leveller but they left gaps at the back and were exploited in the seventh of a mammoth 19 minutes added on.
Miranda Smith cleverly poked the ball through to Akkurt and a comprehensive first time finish across Farley beat her all ends up, cementing the win and leaving the Romans crestfallen.
City’s Line-Up: Farley; Gray, Fry, J Harris; Taylor, Spratt, Goater, A Harris, Duffy; Thorner-Atkinson, Clarke. Subs used: Hemmings, Redhouse, Brown, Cutler, Key.
Scorers: City – Goater (36), Redhouse (pen 41); Gloucester – Warren (43), Akkurt (72, 90+7), Neall (81)
City Bookings: Thorner-Atkinson (90+4)
Referee: Brad Totney