Bath City Women (0) 1 Bitton (0) 1 – Sunday 14 September 2025
Shield Services Group SW Regional WFL Div 1 North – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Substitute Ellie Jones prevented an opening day win for Bath City Women.
The Bitton defender cancelled out Edie Hopton’s own goal at a soaking wet Cannon Clarke Stadium.
Tara Taylor, the only City player to start all four of the club’s opening games, was denied by the legs of Morgan Honeywell inside five minutes in an otherwise cagey opening.
Jasmine Rennie was caught outside the box by goalkeeper Honeywell, who escaped further punishment. Her resulting free-kick grazed the side-netting.
The Romans made it 1-0 within five minutes of the restart.
Taylor’s near post corner was aimed for Abby Gray, and the defender’s presence forced Hopton to inadvertently slice into her own net.
Hopton nearly made amends but was left frustrated by an outstanding Lucy Clay save low to her right, but the depleted visitors grabbed a deserved leveller with 15 minutes remaining.
Abbie Woodley-Marshall’s dangerous corner saw Jones, Bitton’s only substitute, react sharpest to cleverly flick home from close range.
Hopton’s free-kick was well kept out by Clay as both teams searched for a second.
City nearly snatched three points in added time when Maddy Brown’s speculative effort was claimed by Honeywell, despite slipping on the sodden surface.
Matt Abreu’s team will be hoping to build on this result against last season’s runners-up when they travel to Cirencester Town next Sunday.
City’s Line-Up: Clay, J Evans, Fry, Gray, Spratt, Taylor (c), Bellotti, Rennie, Burridge, Thorner-Atkinson, Vilday. Sub used: F Edwards, Bloomfield, Brown, Trivett, B Edwards.
Scorers: City – Own Goal (49); Bitton – Jones (75)
Referee: Darren Robbins