Next Match – Hemel Hempstead Town (A)

Following four points from the Bank Holiday weekend, things are looking brighter for Bath City ahead of Saturday’s trip to Hemel Hempstead Town.

The hosts will be in a similarly confident mood. Trae Cook-Appiah’s stoppage time strike at Enfield Town made it three wins from five for Bobby Wilkinson’s men, who have made their best start to a National League South campaign since 2015. It’s also the first time they’ve been unbeaten in their first five at this level – Wilkinson is yet to taste defeat since his appointment in April.

He’s blessed with some 28 players on the books, so while their injury list is similar in length to City’s, they have cover aplenty. Nineteen have arrived since the end of last term with Wilkinson getting most of his business done early. Re-signing Ricardo German has worked – the Grenadian had scored three in his first four but was forced off in last week’s draw against Worthing with a muscular injury. Their three wins to date have been against teams in an early bottom four, they also came back from two goals down to share the spoils with Salisbury on day one. They couldn’t find a third against an outfield player in goal following Ryan Gosney’s late dismissal – three players sent off against Hemel is a league high.

Bath City can match the Tudors in terms of clean sheets – three apiece – and will move within a point of them if they win at the Focus Community Arena. City’s games have been tight thus far – a draw with four others decided by the odd goal. Only six goals have been witnessed so far, there were 25 in the Romans’ matches in August last year. Defensive solidity has been a positive for Jerry Gill’s side – only Welling United have let in fewer with Hemel and Maidstone also tied on three conceded with City.

Saturday is the 22^nd meeting between Hemel Hempstead Town and Bath City. The first four were played in the Southern League and one in the FA Cup – a 3-0 win in September 2017 which was the final game before Gill’s tenure began.

Overall record v Hemel Hempstead Town: Pld 24 W12 D6 L6 F38 A18.

Bath City’s record away to Hemel Hempstead Town in Conference/National League South:

Quirks:

• Ross Stearn’s hat-trick in 2019 was scored after coming on as a substitute.
• City’s biggest win in National League South was home to Hemel in March 2017 – a 6-0 success at Twerton Park.

Last meeting:

12 March 2024 – National League South

Bath City 2 (Dyer 16; Wilson 68) Hemel Hempstead Town 0

Line-ups:
Bath City: Buse; Raynes, Dyer, Parselle, Greenslade; Clark, Hayfield, Smith, Frear (Vassell 74); Yeboah (Alabi 67), Wilson. Subs not used: Batten, Casa-Grande.
Hemel Hempstead Town: MacAulay; McKenzie (Matthews 67), Sendles-White, Hill, Ajayi, J Williams; Fonkeu, Gyamfi, Smith, G Williams (Whittaker 80); Folivi. Subs not used: Iaciofano, Mitford, Re.

Referee: Rob Ablitt
Star man: Joe Raynes
Attendance: 769

Scott Wilson’s first goal of 2024 rubber-stamped a determined three points for 10-man Bath City. The forward notched his 17^th of the campaign midway through the second half, after Jordan Dyer had headed in an early opener, his first goal for nearly exactly a year. Tom Smith saw red in added time for a needless second yellow, ruling him out for the trip to Worthing on Sunday 24 March. It didn’t affect the outcome, meaning a seventh defeat in eight for the Tudors, two in two for interim boss Alan Dowson.

Matchday

City will be wearing black and white.

Tickets available Fanbase | Select Tickets (fanbaseclub.com).

If you’re unable to attend, you can obtain updates via:

X – @BathCity_FC
Bath City Radio – Bath City Radio or bathcityradio.mixlr.com. Also on the Mixlr app, search for Bath City Radio. Mark Stillman and Alex Lane-Kieltyka on commentary.