Bath City (0) 0 Bristol Rovers (0) 1 – Wednesday 16 July 2025 – Pre-Season Friendly – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bryant Bilongo’s winner saw Bristol Rovers replicate last year’s 1-0 victory at Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park.
The centre-back volleyed home from close range to secure victory for the League Two outfit, in front of a record-breaking attendance for this pre-season fixture.
Ewan Clark made his return as a second half substitute for Darren Way’s side.
But despite a spirited display against Darrell Clarke’s full-strength outfit, they couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Rovers forced the first main chance inside quarter of an hour. After closing the hosts down quickly from a free-kick on halfway, Ruel Sotiriou and Promise Omochere combined down the left before the latter centred for Shaq Forde, who wastefully fired over from 10 yards.
Bilongo’s cross was headed over by Forde on 32 minutes, before City created their best chance of the game a minute later.
Luke Russe’s pinged ball over the top was chased by Jordan Alves, who shanked wide first time when one-on-one with former City stopper Luke Southwood.
Dan Greenslade’s vital block denied Forde at the back post from Omochere’s dinked cross and Kieran Parselle’s flying interception kept out Omochere from Macauley Southam-Hayes’ dangerous delivery.
City started the second half brightly. Will Jenkins Davies’ run into the box was halted by Southam-Hales’ challenge, with ambitious calls for a penalty waved away.
Jack Sparkes fired over from distance after Greenslade half-cleared Sotiriou’s cross.
Greenslade was lucky to escape unharmed from an unnecessary lunge from Forde, who was dismissed twice last season. The left-back managed to skip the challenge in time to avoid firmer contact.
Sotiriou missed a gilt-edged change on 55 minutes, miscuing wide after Omochere’s tremendous close control and ball across the box. The Cypriot was perhaps expecting cleaner contact from the preceding effort but he should have hit the target.
A stunning move soon after saw City somehow keep the game goalless. Forde’s reverse ball set Southam-Hayes away on the byline, his pull back saw Sotiriou and Omochere prevented on the line by the sprawling Jack Batten, who was relieved to see Sotiriou’s follow-up hacked away by Jordan Tillson, pretty much his first touch from the bench.
Rovers made seven substitutions midway through the second half and it paid off as they made the breakthrough on 69 minutes.
Josh McEachran’s teasing free-kick to the back post saw Bilongo find a yard of space, and he expertly steered his volley home to leave Harvey Wiles-Richards helpless.
It was arguably the Romans’ first defensive lapse all evening. They were almost hit by a second when Luke Thomas’ tidy control and ball across was met by Ollie Dewsbury, but Wiles-Richards spread himself brilliantly to parry.
Cole Fleming’s strong run drew a foul from Connor Taylor in added time, but Jenkins Davies’ free-kick sailed harmlessly off target in City’s final glimmer.
It left them with three pre-season losses from three but a stronger defensive display against EFL opposition will leave Darren Way with more positives than negatives.
Att: 2205
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Greenslade, Tomlinson, Batten (Forkou 80), Parselle (c) (Fleming 70), Alves, Jenkins-Davies, Wilson (Tillson 56), Ash (Fisher 70), Beardmore (Clark 56), Russe. Subs not used: Sweeten, Mabika, Pritchard, Horsell, Sardo.
Scorers: City – none; Rovers – Bilongo (68)
City Bookings: none
Officials: S Read, A Wilson, D Hughes, M Peters (4th)