Next Match – Tonbridge Angels (A)

Bath City are back on the road on Saturday as they travel to Kent to take on Tonbridge Angels.

Angels are one of seven sides still unbeaten this season in National League South. An opening day win over Weymouth has been followed by draws in Essex at Aveley and Chelmsford City. Those games have contained 11 goals, the joint highest for a club at this level with four other sides.

Last season they finished 14^th. They played 49 games in all competitions, the fewest for a side in National League South, having lost in the first stage of all cups, all to lower league opponents. The early FA Cup exit has become customary – since reaching round one in 2020 they’ve lost three 2^nd Qualifying Round matches to teams below them in the pyramid, conceding 13 goals.

They ended with five without a win but still comfortably clear of relegation, and a summer reshuffle by Jay Saunders has come off thus far. The stand-out departure was goalkeeper Jon Henly after 10 years’ service. Liam Vincent signed permanently having ended last term on loan and the wing-back has scored four in three matches this term. Their front line includes Mo Dabre, a former City trialist, and Timmy Abraham, brother of England and Roma forward Tammy.

They also appear to be fighting fit, in contrast to injury hit Bath City, who’ve only named four substitutes in their matches this term. Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade, Elliott Frear and Luke Russe aren’t quite ready to return, Alex Fisher was forced off at half-time on Tuesday night and Zac Smith is out for the season with a ruptured ACL, a major blow to Jerry Gill and his side. All three of their games so far have been decided by the odd goal.

Saturday is the 12^th meeting between Tonbridge Angels and Bath City in National League South and a landmark 50^th in all competitions,

Overall record v Tonbridge/Tonbridge Angels (all comps): Pld 49 W22 D12 L15 F83 A72.

Bath City’s record at Tonbridge Angels in Conference/National League South:

Quirks:

• Last year’s meeting saw Joe Raynes become the first outfield player to feature in goal for Bath City since Josh Low in March 2014.
• The side scoring first has gone on to lose the last two meetings at Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium.

Last meeting at Tonbridge:

21 October 2023 – National League South

Tonbridge Angels 3 (Fielding 8; Gard 69 (pen), 90 (pen) Bath City 2 (Cooke 27; Wilson 31)

Team line-ups:
Tonbridge Angels: Henly; Wagstaff, Fielding, Parkinson (Tyrie 80), Hinds; Gard; Turner, Pegrum, Shields; Fish (Mampolo 73), Greenidge. Subs not used: Higgs, Gibb, Waring.
Bath City: Wright (Thomas 46); Raynes, Batten, Parselle, Greenslade; Hayfield, Smith, Russe, Clark; Wilson, Cooke. Subs not used: Fletcher, Frear, Lines, Cook.

Referee: Eugene Robinson
Star man: Joe Raynes
Attendance: 883

Full-back Joe Raynes was forced to play the second half in goal as City suffered late heartbreak at Tonbridge Angels. A dislocated shoulder to Ollie Wright right on half-time saw him withdrawn and with no replacement stopper on the break, Raynes took the gloves and was only beaten by two penalties. Jamie Fielding had headed Tonbridge ahead before quickfire strikes by Cody Cooke and Scott Wilson put City in the ascendency. But two spot-kicks from Lewis Gard saw the hosts return to winning ways, inflicting City’s first away league defeat for six months.

Away travel:

There will be a supporters’ coach running to this game. You can book online here , departure times and information included, or by contacting Cheryl Morgan.

Advance tickets are available to purchase here.

City will be wearing black and white for this fixture.

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 Matt Francis on commentary.