Terras Nearly Slip In Bath
Weymouth could only gain a point today despite playing just ten men for the majority of the game.
City’s Chris Honor saw red after just seventeen minutes in an incident that saw Mark Robinson booked, Honor sent off, and then Bath awarded the free-kick!
Matthew Coupe then rose unmarked to head the hosts in front on 27 minutes
Lee Phillips out-jumped keeper Bryant, seconds after substitute Alex Browne had come on, to nod the Terras back on level terms.
Ten Men Bath Keep Weymouth At Bay
Report by Steve Dadd compiled from Pete Pavey�s notes
Weymouth reached manager Geoff Butler�s 50 points target with a hard-earned point against ten-man Bath City at Twerton Park.
But despite hitting the boss� safety target, the Terras are still not assured of their Dr Martens Premier Division place next season.
Wins for Grantham Town, Hednesford Town and Welling United, plus draws for Halesowen, and Hastings United means the relegation dogfight continues for another week.
However, Weymouth�s destiny remains in their own hands – they need a win from their last two fixtures against either Hastings or Crawley Town to guarantee their Premier Division status.
In what proved a passionate local derby, it was the hosts who started brightly and they could have gone in front within 30 seconds. Frankie Bennett picked out Paul Milsom with a centre from the left, but the Romans� striker headed his effort wide.
The Terras hit back within 30 seconds when Mark Robinson burst through from midfield but after riding a couple of desperate challenges, he saw his powerful shot well saved by Mark Bryant in the home goal.
The visitors gained an early numerical advantage when City wing-back Chris Honor was given his marching orders in the 17th minute.
A tussle between him and Robinson after the ball had gone out for a throw-in ended with what appeared to be an elbow in the face of the Weymouth player who was sent crashing to the ground.
Referee Russell Green consulted his well-positioned assistant and out came the red card followed by a yellow for Robinson.
Things threatened to get out of hand for a moment as City boss Alan Pridham levied a volley of abuse, and threw off a female match day steward in his attempts to confront the Weymouth dug out, only a stiff word from Mr Green calmed things down.
Danny Bailey, returning to the club he helped escape the drop last season, went close to breaking the deadlock on 22 minutes when he collected a poor clearance and drove just inches over the cross bar.
Being a man down didn�t seem to affect the Romans greatly, a point graphically underlined when they took the lead in the 27th minute.
A Bennett corner found Matthew Coupe completely unmarked and the big defender dispatched his bullet header into the top left-hand corner of the net.
Weymouth could have levelled the scores just before the break when Phil Andrews tricked his way past a couple of defenders before laying the ball off to Lee Phillips in the penalty box, but with the goal beckoning his shot lacked power and was easily gathered by Bryant.
So at half time the score was: Bath City 1 Weymouth 0
The visitors continued their search for an equaliser after the restart but despite enjoying the bulk of possession, there was precious little quality in the final third of the park.
And their hopes of returning to Dorset with anything to show for their efforts received a massive blow when makeshift attacker Robinson was forced out of the action with a shoulder injury following a heavy fall after a collision with Paul Milsom in the Bath area.
But cometh the hour, cometh Terras top scorer Phillips who bagged his 15th league goal of the season, 17 minutes from time.
Substitute Ryan Ashford set it up with a curling free kick into the Bath danger zone and in came the Cornishman to nod beyond a stranded Bryant.
The best move of the game came right near the end, Tully won the ball on the right of the half way line and surged forward, with three players blocking his path he played a sweet 1 – 2 with Andrews before pushing the ball toward the by line, beating the last defender he set himself up for a cross only for the ball to hit a divot and rise some 15 inches from the ground, committed to the kick his swung at clean air and unceremoniously ended up on his backside, with jeers from the partisan locals ringing in his ears he retreated back to Weymouth lines with a boyish grin on his face.
So at the final whistle the score was:
Bath City 1 Weymouth 1
Away Supporters top Terra: Steve Tully
Bath City:
Mark Bryant, Frankie Bennett, Chris Honor, Matthew Coupe 1, Gary Kemp (c),
Jim Rollo, Jamie Gosling (Stuart James 28 (Josh Jeffries 46)), Iain Harvey,
Paul Milsom, Steve Tweddle, Drew Shore.
Subs not used: Daniel Cleverley
Booked: Coupe
Sent Off: Honor 15
Weymouth:
Jason Matthews, Steve Tully, Simon Browne (Ryan Ashford 70), Jamie Impey,
John Waldock (c), Toby Redwood, Mark Robinson (Alex Browne 72),
Ian Hutchinson, Danny Bailey, Phil Andrews, Lee Phillips 1.
Subs not used: Leon Greene, Lee Russell
Booked: Impey, Redwood
Referee: Russell Green (Berkeley, Glos.)
