Bath City (0) 0 Peterborough Sports (1) 1 – FA Trophy 4th Round – Saturday 16 January 2021 – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Mark Jones’ strike in first half stoppage time saw step 3 Peterborough Sports cause an FA Trophy upset against 10-man Bath City.
The forward deservedly guided the Turbines into the last 16 for the first time in their history after slotting home from Maniche Sani’s precision through ball.
City had Tom Mehew dismissed on 62 minutes for a second yellow to compound their misery as Sports became the first lower division side to knock the Romans out of the FA Trophy at Twerton Park since 1998.
Peterborough had chances to extend their lead late on but were good value for their victory in the first ever meeting between the clubs.
Despite both clubs being in action for the first time this year, the start was far from sluggish. The hosts forced the first effort on target as Tommy Conway’s hanging cross was met by Tom Richards’ diving header, but Lewis Moat batted it behind.
Grant Horton’s inspired block denied Sani and Will Henry’s tremendous one-handed save palmed Lewis Hilliard’s free-kick onto the bar.
The visitors took a well-earned first half lead when City cheaply lost possession in midfield and Sani took advantage to slip in Jones, who timed his run to perfection and coolly slotted across Henry from 10 yards.
City switched to a back four at the break but could have fallen further behind as Dion Sembie-Ferris saw his hanging cross wastefully headed wide by Jones. At the other end Conway was played in from Mehew’s disguised pass, but in trying to round Moat the goalkeeper eventually smuggled the ball away.
Mehew was sent off three minutes later for a second yellow having upended Daniel Lawlor, earning the Bristol Rovers loanee a second dismissal in four starts. With Artus pulling up injured swiftly after, it made the second half a nightmare for Bath.
Peterborough should have wrapped the game up when Sembie-Ferris flashed across goal, and the same player poked wide on the counter after Sani played him through.
Bath’s Callum Evans slashed wide in desperation from a near impossible angle shortly before full-time, which greeted by a mass of celebrations from those in blue and yellow.
In contrast, Jerry Gill was sent off after the full-time whistle to make it an afternoon to forget for the National League South outfit.
Att: n/a
City’s Line-Up: Henry, Smith, Batten, Ball, Artus (c) (McCoy 66), Harley (Evans HT), Richards, Conway, Owers, Horton (Pope 56), Mehew. Subs not used: Clarke, James, Watts.
Scorers: City – none; Sports – Jones (45+2)
City Bookings: Artus (16), Mehew (33)
City Dismissals: Mehew (62)
Officials: D Lamport, O Spender, Jenkins