Wimborne Town (2) 2 Bath City (0) 1 – Saturday 13 September 2025 – FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round – The Wyatt Homes Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Goals from Josh McQuoid and Lewis Williams sent Bath City tumbling out of the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round.
Will Jenkins Davies pulled one back late with a terrific strike but it was too little too late for Darren Way’s team.
Jordan Alves’ return from injury was a rare highlight from a miserable afternoon in Dorset.
The Southern Premier South’s victory means City will have to wait another year for dreams of a long overdue FA Cup run.
Way made three changes from the draw at Chesham United with Harvey Wiles-Richards back from suspension in goal, alongside the recalled Mitch Beardmore and Alex Fisher in place of Isaac Finch, Scott Wilson and the injured Dan Greenslade respectively.
Brad Ash had the first effort on target inside five minutes. Kieran Parselle, operating in left-back, flung in a cross which was partially cleared by Billy Walker to Ash, whose stinging shot from 10 yards was batted away by Cam Plain.
Jenkins Davies was afforded time to chest down Luke Russe’s ball forward but couldn’t apply a clean collection from the edge of the box, allowing Plain to easily take.
Wimborne’s first opening saw Josh Carmichael’s superb through ball locate Will Fletcher, who attempted to round Wiles-Richards. The keeper calmly stood his ground and dispossessed the striker.
Seung-Woo Yang set Joe Ryan into space in the area but he was denied by Wiles-Richards at his near post, who just did enough to push the ball behind for a corner.
The pressure from the hosts finally told on 25 minutes with an opening goal.
Carmichael found Drew Eccott-Jones in room on the right. The full-back cut inside of Ash with ease to give himself plenty of time to pick out Josh McQuoid, who was left completely unmarked 10 yards out.
The midfielder, formerly highly rated by Eddie Howe at Bournemouth, did the rest, tidily heading past the helpless Wiles-Richards.
City thought they’d equalised within three minutes. Russe’s stunning long-ranger came back off the angle of post and crossbar with Plain beaten, with Alex Fisher converting the follow-up from a tight angle, but an offside flag kept the Magpies’ lead intact.
They doubled it on 36 minutes. Russe’s woefully underhit backpass was snatched onto by Lewis Williams, who skipped around Wiles-Richards and slammed in his fourth FA Cup goal this campaign.
Fisher could only loop into Plain’s hands from close range after Joe Raynes bounced back to his feet following a Williams challenge in the area.
Trailing by two goals at the break, City were hoping of a repeat of their 2023 comeback at Larkhall Athletic in the same round, when two Cody Cooke penalties and a Jordan Thomas wonderstrike sealed progression.
Such a comeback appeared unlikely as the Romans were restricted to little, with Wimborne happy to soak up whatever was thrown at them.
Wilson and Jordan Alves, the latter for his first appearance of the season, were brought on for more attacking threat, and Way’s team finally pulled one back on 78 minutes.
Raynes’ long throw was headed out to Jenkins Davies, who had to move inside of referee Samuel Read before unleashing an arrowing strike from 25 yards into the bottom corner, with the unsighted Plain unable to get across in time.
Eleven minutes of added time had nerves jangling for most of the crowd inside the Wyatt Homes Stadium, but City’s only threats saw Parselle twice head off target from difficult positions.
Tim Sills’ side could have wrapped up the win when substitute Joe Smith danced his way into the penalty area before eventually being snuffed out by Wiles-Richards.
Celebrations started soon afterwards as Wimborne deservedly ousted their higher league opponents, in City’s earliest exit from the FA Cup since 2006.
Att: 682
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Tomlinson, Batten, Parselle (c), Jenkins Davies, Ash (Alves 73), Fisher, Tillson, Beardmore (Wilson 57), Russe. Subs not used: Horsell, Sweeten, Matthews.
Scorers: City – Jenkins Davies (78); Wimborne – McQuoid (25), Williams (37)
City Bookings: Alves (90+3)
Officials: S Read, M Uren, L Fabry, J Mcritchie (4th)