Bath City (0) 2 Newport County (1) 2 – Saturday 25 July 2026 – Pre-Season Friendly – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Alex Fisher netted against his former club as Bath City claimed a pre-season draw with League Two side Newport County.
The Exiles led twice through Ged Garner and Harrison Halpin either side of half-time.
But City didn’t give in and Dan Greenslade’s goal direct from a corner plus Fisher’s tidy finish, albeit from a possible offside position, made it all square.
Seweryn Streczen provided the latter as the academy product impressed in a brief cameo.
Newport, rocked by the recent departure of manager Christian Fuchs, enjoyed more possession in the opening 15 minutes.
Former City loanee Moses Alexander-Walker was denied by the legs of Harvey Wiles-Richards, with the Romans stopper also well-placed to bat away Keenan Patten’s fierce free-kick.
Wiles-Richards continued his form from the Plymouth defeat to again frustrate Alexander-Walker after the winger shot first time from Halpin’s low centre.
City’s first scare on the Newport goal saw a couple of ricochets fall kindly for Trialist A, but centre-back Dan Sassi threw himself in the way to block.
Newport took the lead four minutes before half-time. Ged Garner was allowed to progress through midfield and his effort from 20 yards took a wicked deflection off ex-Newport man Kieran Parselle to bamboozle Wiles-Richards, as the ball bounced away from him into the bottom corner.
Good work by Rueben Reid almost brought a swift leveller as his pull back was collected by the advancing Harry Parsons, but Tom Davies bravely blocked at the expense of a corner.
In contrast, the equalising goal just after half-time was a shocker from the visitors’ perspective.
Welshman Greenslade swung in a fairly harmless corner towards the near post, but under minimal pressure from substitute Scott Wilson, Newport’s trialist goalkeeper failed to gather as the ball bounced in.
Wiles-Richards kept out Christian Doidge’s effort on the stretch but he was beaten again on 53 minutes.
Matt Smith’s corner saw 16-year-old Halpin escape the attentions of Matt Bowman to expertly flick a header across Wiles-Richards to put Chris Todd’s men in front.
County squandered an opportunity to make the game safe three minutes later when Alexander-Walker stormed clear of an awry offside trap, but his placed effort was kept out by the legs of City’s number one.
Scott Bartlett looked to his bench just past the hour and the introductions of Streczen and Fisher proved key as they were involved in a second equaliser.
Streczen appeared to be upended by Halpin as he darted towards the byline, but returned to his feet to square for Fisher.
With Newport appealing for offside, unmarked Fisher flicked home with ease from a yard out, with assistant Kevin Rodd keeping his flag down amid vociferous away protests.
Harri Pugh dragged wide for Newport and Donovan Wilson was also thwarted by Cameron Norman hurling himself in the way after Streczen and Greenslade linked up down the left in the final attack of the game.
Att: 618
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes (c), Greenslade, Tomlinson, Parselle (Boldewijn HT), Windsor (D Wilson HT), Chamberlain (Fisher 64), Trialist (Tillson HT), Reid (S Wilson HT), Parsons (Streczen 77), Bowman (Pritchard 84). Subs not used: Batten, Horsell.
Scorers: City – Greenslade (49), Fisher (79); Newport – Garner (40), Halpin (55)
City Bookings: none
Officials: S Ouchene, D Forrester, R Hulme, K Rodd (4th)