Bath City (0) 2 Hornchurch (2) 2 – Saturday 14 March 2026 – Enterprise National League South – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Scott Wilson became Bath City’s all-time record scorer in National League South as the Romans came back from 2-0 down to draw with 10-man Hornchurch.
The striker tapped in his 46th goal of the competition to become outright leader.
It got City back in the game after Henry Sandat’s first half double looked set to consign Darren Way’s side to fourth straight defeat.
Sandat was later dismissed and the Romans rallied with Jack Batten claiming the leveller.
New loan signing Josh Laqeretabua was brought in as one of two changes from Tuesday’s loss to Farnborough.
The Charlton loanee had a nightmare start, as he was at fault for the visitors’ opener on 11 minutes.
Laqeretabua failed to control Myles Weston’s flick-on and Charlie Pegrum pounced, finding room on the right to square for Sandat, who easily side-footed home from 10 yards.
Harvey Wiles-Richards needed to repel Sandat soon after as second placed Hornchurch continued to threaten, with Pegrum also denied by the City stopper.
They added a second in first half added time. Having easily dealt with a City attack, Josh Rees picked up the ball in midfield and threaded through to Sandat, exposing a wayward backline.
He turned Jaiden Putman expertly and superbly curled past Wiles-Richards from 16 yards.
It completed a miserable opening 45 for City leaving Way with little choice but to mix things up, introducing Dan Greenslade and Jordan Alves at the break for Matt Bowman and Owen Windsor.
They found a way back on 58 minutes with a record breaking goal.
Batten’s clever ball over the top was missed by Harry Gibbs, and Ruebin Sheppard bravely beat keeper Arthur Nasta to the ball.
With it bouncing towards the goalline, Wilson applied the finishing touch to overtake Cody Cooke and Andy Watkins in the scoring charts for City in Step 2.
City were aided in their quest for something from the game when Sandat went from hero to zero with a mad red card.
The attacking midfielder went down in front of the dugouts requesting treatment, much to the frustration of the City players.
Alves and Wilson tried to physically lift him off and Sandat took exception, swinging an arm at Alves and received his marching orders.
City took seven minutes to make use of the man advantage.
Greenslade’s initial long throw was worked back to him, and his cross to the edge of the area was acrobatically helped goalwards by Kieran Parselle.
The perfectly placed Batten met it with a close range header, his first home league goal for seven years and two days, to make it 2-2.
It changed Hornchurch’s mindset, who concentrated more on preserving a point in their pursuit of leaders Dorking Wanderers.
Ten minutes added time were allocated and while the Romans huffed and puffed, they failed to seriously test Nasta.
The point cut down the deficit on relegation rivals Farnborough, who lost at Maidstone United, to four points, but leaves City with one league win in 13.
Att: 952
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Batten, Parselle (c), S Wilson, Tillson (Skinner 72), Russe, Bowman (Alves HT), Windsor (Greenslade HT), Putman, Sheppard (Fisher 79), Laqeretabua. Subs not used: Binns, Alexander-Walker.
Scorers: City – S Wilson (58), Batten (74); Hornchurch – Sandat (11, 45+1)
City Bookings: Russe (53), Alves (69)
Officials: M Conn, M Bloor, S Chinnock, L Ward (4th)
