ROMANS SMASH HOME DROUGHT
AGOAL in each half from Nick McCootie and Jack Batten ensured Bath City picked up their first home league win in 123 days.
Stortford were positive from the outset but the concession of two soft goals undid their work, leaving them entrenched in the bottom three.
“It wasn’t pretty,” admitted Bath boss Gary Owers. “There was little flow to the game, it was quite tight.
“But we scored from a great, short-worked corner, which we rehearsed on the training ground, and Jack has scored the same goal as last week.
“If we can add a few more goals from open play we’ll find ourselves closer to the play-offs.”
Stortford started the stronger, with debutant Alex Stephenson providing a decent delivery for Shomari Barnwell, but the forward failed to get enough purchase on his volley, leaving Max O’Leary with a routine save to make.
Stortford had City penned back, with the defence forced into several last-ditch clearances. Zach Fagan placed a volley wide and Barnwell’s drive flew off target.
Following these scares, City upped the tempo and gained the upper hand, with McCootie swivelling away from Emmanuel Adebowale before curling an effort just wide.
Eventually, the hosts took the lead on 41 minutes – albeit in fortunate circumstances. Billy Murphy’s drilled ball in from the byline evaded several bodies in the middle and, in attempting to clear, Harry Hickford’s clearance hit McCootie, who gleefully watched the ball trickle over the line.
Barnwell hammered a half-volley off target soon after the restart before the away side found themselves further behind within two minutes.
Initially it was Marvin Morgan’s good work to set up the opening, his shot on the turn well turned away by Harry Voss.
From the resulting corner, Murphy’s delivery was met by the unmarked Batten, who nodded in his second goal in as many games.
Andy Watkins headed Miles Welch-Hayes’ cross over as City continued to probe, with Stortford only having a Fagan effort charged down from Elliott Ronto’s free-kick to shout about.
Loanee forward Connor Lemonheigh-Evans sent a thunderous strike inches over the angle of post and crossbar and could have put the icing on the cake when, after McCootie’s driving run and cross, he and Watkins somehow divert the ball wide. But the miss mattered little as City held on.