Weston Super Mare AFC Women (1) 2 Bath City Women (0) 0 – Sunday 23 July 2023 – Pre-Season Friendly – Optima Stadium 3G
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City Women got off to the worst possible start to their pre-season before giving Weston-super-Mare a run for their money on the Optima Stadium 3G.
Tash Crew gave the hosts the lead inside two minutes and there were worries the Seagulls could run riot.
But Matt Abreu’s side fought back well and Weston had to wait until Jess Larbey’s goal on 59 minutes to give them further daylight.
Debutants Rhyannon Jefferies, Katie Wells, Libby Goater, Ruby Black and Abby Grey slotted in well in an encouraging display from the Romans.
However the new-look defence was breached on 75 seconds when Crew curled home from 25 yards, deceiving Sadie Farley in the City goal.
The home side looked dangerous from set-pieces with Mils Bellotti needing to clear off the line when a corner wasn’t cleared.
City’s best chance of the first half arrived on 32 minutes when livewire Goater’s run eventually ended with Tanea Wright shanking over.
Having kept in the game admirably, a second just shy of the hour knocked the stuffing out of the Romans.
Alex Strawbridge’s exquisite footwork eventually led to Farley failing to gather a looped cross, allowing Larbey to bundle home at the far post.
Tara Taylor’s slaloming run from the halfway line saw her beat three players before dragging wide before Weston spurned two late opportunities to rubber-stamp their win.
Despite the defeat it was an ideal outing for Abreu’s side against an experienced team at their level.
City’s Line-Up: Farley; Jefferies, Bellotti, Curtis, Wells; Giles, Whale; Taylor, Goater, Dellow; Wright. Subs used: Black, Grey, Robinson.
Scorers: City – none; Weston – Crew (2), Larbey (59)