Nailsea United Women (0) 0 Bath City Women (1) 3 – Sunday 16 March 2025 – Somerset FA Junior Cup Semi-Final – Grove Sports Club
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City Women reached their first cup final following a comfortable success at Nailsea United.
Matt Abreu’s side made the divisional gap evident thanks to goals from Adella Clarke, Erin Duffy and Poppy Spratt.
Charlie Davis was dismissed for the hosts in the second half for an off-the-ball incident.
A fifth clean sheet in six games helped confirm progress, as City will take on Weston-super-Mare in the Somerset Junior Cup Final at Brislington on Thursday 1 May.
City were dominant from the off but they squandered a chance to lead on 14 minutes.
Ashley Harris played a one-two in the box with Clarke and was tripped by Sally Shortman, resulting in a penalty.
Koz Thorner-Atkinson stepped up but placed the ball wide – City’s third failure from the spot in a row.
Thorner-Atkinson headed Tara Taylor’s corner against the bar before another set-piece led to the opener.
Duffy’s hanging delivery was helped back across Bex Fry and Clarke was perfectly placed to nod in from a yard out.
Ellie Purle shot wide for Nailsea just after the break before their afternoon unfolded on 79 minutes.
Davis shoved Harris off the ball fairly at first, but her following retaliation and kicking the ball away saw referee David Pinnock send her off.
City took advantage and extended their lead five minutes later. Taylor’s corner was cleared back to the taker, whose drive was cleared off the line by Carrie Patch.
The rebound fell kindly to Duffy on the edge of the box, who smartly drove through a crowd past the unsighted Evie Butt.
Butt kept out Clarke with her feet but Nailsea made a hash of clearing and gifted City a third.
Duffy played the ball inside to Spratt inside the area, who coolly rolled past the advancing keeper to seal a meeting with Weston.
City’s Line-Up: Farley, Key, Duffy, Fry, J Harris, Spratt, Taylor (c), A Harris, Clarke, Brown, Thorner-Atkinson. Subs used: Trivett, Rennie, Hemmings, Gray, Pearce.
Scorers: Clarke (45), Duffy (81), Spratt (86)
Officials: D Pinnock, D Jones, U18 Assistant
