Damage in the Box!: BATH CITY (Twerton Park)

First and Foremost, I hope all my blog readers had a very Merry Christmas, even if the snowman bringing the snow did ruin it for most ground hoppers! After what seems an eternity, due to said weather, I finally got a chance to "tick" my first new ground since 11th December.

Inbetween i've lost a game on the 18th, surprisingly/shockingly a visit to Goodision Park on the 26th and a "double header" on the 27th. The only live football i've managed to see was a re-visit to Woodley Sports, who had a game on their 3G pitch beating Cammell Laird 2-0. That was just to get out of the house and get some fresh air in my lungs.

Today was due to be a visit to Morecambe's new ground, but that bit the dust 24 hours previous. That left very few options but fortunately the thaw began in the South West and Bath City's Twerton Park became playable. That meant their (Somerset v Gloucester) derby against Forest Green Rovers was going ahead. GAME ON!

Twerton Park is a fantastic old fashioned ground. Many of today's Sky generation fans would say it's a shithole, but I say it's a gem. A ramshackle dump with a rickety old main stand, plus a smaller new one for the away fans, lots of terracing, uneven in parts, pylon floodlights and a wee slope in the pitch. I loved it!

The club and the fans did a great job getting the match on and they were rewarded with a bumper crowd of (to be said with your finest Richie Benaud impression) 1,222. As a devout paper chaser though it was disappointing not to get a proper programme, as they never produced one as they thought there was no chance of this game going ahead, but I perfectly understood why. Some very sad hoppers would've insulted the seller and sulked off home at this point! They gave a free four page programme to everyone and, to me, a free copy of their last issue, which was appreciated.

The game turned out to be very entertaining. Forest Green took the lead inside 3 minutes when a free kick was swung in and Adam Quinn ghosted in unmarked to head home. Bath looked useful on the attack, with journey-man Kaid Mohammed causing most of the problems, however they looked very suspect in defence.

Rovers had clearly done their homework and were getting men behind the ball, soaking the pressure then hitting the soft under belly that was the centre of defence. It seemed only a matter of time before their lead was extended, but on 24 minutes Bath were level. A needless shove by Quinn in the box resulted in a penalty and Mohammed levelled.

The joy didn't last long as Rovers went on the attack and from a free kick Luke Jones headed home, again the marking was nowhere to be seen. Deep into stoppage time Rovers went further in front, a long ball out of defence was allowed to bounce by the centre half, as he must have thought the goalkeeper was coming out to clear, but Reece Styche nipped in to volley home.

Speaking to a Bath City fan at half he said that they normally have to go two goals behind before they wake up and start playing. How accurate that proved to be as the second was virtually dominated by City. Forest Green had clearly decided that 3-1 was enough and were going to defend it, time waste and generally use spoiling tactics. They nearly came unstuck. Mohammed went on mazy run down the wing and his cross found its way Lee Phillips, who shot home,to bring the home side within a goal.

However with 12 minutes to go, as Bath piled forward, they got sucker-punched as Ross Dyer had the freedom of the City half to run through on goal and slot home to seal the win. In the last minute of stoppage time, as Rovers were down by the corner flag doing the time wasting routine, frustration got the better of Luke Ruddick and he lunged in leaving the referee no option but to issue a straight red card.

Very happy to get a game in today, but there was one tiny disappoinment, namely the fact I was saving a visit to Bath for the train so I could pay a visit to the legendary Royal Oak, but as I was in the car this wasn't to be. Maybe in the future i'll get the chance again!