Bath City Women 1st (0) 0 Poole Town Ladies (1) 2 – Sunday 26 November 2023 – South West Regional WFL Eastern Division – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City Women’s eight-match unbeaten home run ended at home to league leaders Poole Town Ladies.
Summer Williams’ composed finish and Mils Bellotti’s own goal saw the Dolphins complete a double over Matt Abreu’s spirited side.
City were denied a strong penalty shout when Amy Maidment appeared to handle Hari Sabic’s looping header off the line.
Despite their efforts they failed to net in a match for the first time this season consigning them to a first loss in six.
Poole had a penalty shout turned down midway through the first half when Mollie Harvey tripped Beth Anderson, but the foul was deemed just outside the box.
They took the lead on 36 minutes when Debbie Collinson skipped two challenges and threaded through to Williams, who calmly despatched into the bottom corner from 12 yards past the advancing Sadie Farley.
City’s best route to goal appeared through set-pieces and one led to a talking point in the second half.
Bellotti’s near post delivery saw Sabic’s header evade goalkeeper Be-Be Smith and appeared to catch the hand of Maidment on the line before Becce Witherington cleared.
It proved important as two minutes later the visitors made it 2-0.
Chloe McCombie found Lucy Coulter on the right, her electrifying pace saw her dart clear and her telling centre was inadvertently turned in at the near post by Bellotti.
Katie Marshallsay prodded off target from 16 yards and her free-kick from further was spilt by Farley, who was grateful to see it trickle past the post.
Emily Dellow skewed wide before Sabic and Tara Taylor warmed Smith’s gloves late, but the strong backline of Poole proved an impossible barrier to pass as they maintained their six-point lead at the top.
City’s Line-Up: Farley, Trivett, Bellotti, Gray, Curtis, Taylor (c), Harvey, Goater, Dellow, Key, Pearce. Subs used: Black, Wells, Wright, Sabic.
Scorers: City – none; Poole – Williams (36), Own Goal (57)
Referee: A Forrester