Next Match – Worthing (H)

Bath City will be hoping to bounce back this Tuesday night at home to Worthing.

It’s the only game in National League South tomorrow evening. The original meeting was scheduled for Saturday 12 October but postponed with both in FA Cup action. While City lost at Aldershot Town, Worthing eased to a 4-0 win at Plymouth Parkway, a side who were winless in the league a division below. This Saturday, Chris Agutter’s side host League Two Morecambe in the 1^st Round, the first time they’ve ever played a Football League side at home in the competition. A win will see them progress to round two for the first time since 1982.

The cup run has coincided with improved league form, losing just two of their last nine following an August Bank Holiday Monday bashing at Truro City, where they lost 5-0. Saturday’s 4-3 win over Slough Town, their second success by that scoreline this term, means only Enfield Town (50) have had more goals in league games this season than the Rebels’ 46.

That’s been a theme since promotion to this division in 2022. Including play-offs, Worthing’s 105 matches in National League South have contained 401 goals. Under interim boss Aarran Racine, they missed out on promotion to Step 1 last season with a Promotion Final defeat to Braintree Town. The scoreline? Another 4-3. Agutter was appointed boss ahead of their third season at this level.

Braintree also defeated City en route to promotion. Jerry Gill’s side are at the other end of the table at present in their final game of the month. Saturday saw Jack Batten make his 300^th appearance for the Stripes and there could be another milestone on Tuesday night, with captain Kieran Parselle on 99 league outings. Club records also highlight that Sol Wanjau-Smith scored City’s 9500^th goal in Saturday’s loss at St Albans City.

Worthing had the upper hand in three meetings last season, defeating the Romans 2-0 twice last October in the FA Cup and league, before an exciting 2-2 draw in March in front of the TNT cameras. Jack Bates made his debut in the contest, he’s now on the books of the opposition. 

Overall record v Worthing: Pld 5 W1 D2 L1 F7 A10

Bath City’s record v Worthing in all competitions:

Quirks:

• Worthing were the first side to stop scoring Bath City last season in the cup and league.
• The March fixture, played on a Sunday, was the first league game involving City to be televised since a 2-1 win at Histon in November 2010.

Last meeting:

24 March 2024 – National League South

Worthing 2 (Cashman 37, 78) Bath City 2 (Wilson 30; Dyer 65)

Line-ups:

Worthing: Rees; Colbran, Rye, Tutt (Young 71); Felix, Wadham, Spong (Fage 68), Wills, Wheeler (Chambers 83); Cashman; Pearce. Subs not used: Bull, Dolaghan.
Bath City: Buse; Raynes, Dyer, Idehen, Greenslade; Clark, Hayfield, Bates, Frear; Wilson, Cooke. Sub not used: Batten, Casa-Grande, Sweeten, Alabi.

Referee: Samuel Read
Star man: Dan Hayfield
Attendance: 2,119

Scott Wilson and Jordan Dyer earned City a draw in a breathless encounter with Worthing. The hosts’ Danny Cashman scored twice against the Romans at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium for the second time this season, twice pulling the hosts back. City gave debuts to Duncan Idehen and Jack Bates, with both involved in the visitors’ goals from set-pieces. The draw was City’s ninth away in the league this term, their highest in a season since 1993/94.

Tickets available for Tuesday’s match here with the usual reduced prices if you purchase before 11.45pm tonight (Monday).

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. Alex Lane-Kieltyka and Andrew Kerslake on commentary.

Come along for Tuesday night under the lights!