Next Match – Cheshunt – Away

Bath City travel to Cheshunt this Saturday looking to build on last weekend’s 4-0 home rout over Concord Rangers.

The hosts, who presently lie in 21st place, are in desperate need of a victory to maintain their National League South status amidst a three-game losing streak. Now six points adrift from safety with three games remaining, anything but a win would almost certainly condemn them to relegation after just one season at this level.

After the Ambers were promoted from the Isthmian League via the play-offs last season, they made a promising start to life in the NLS with a 3-2 triumph over Hampton & Richmond despite falling 2-0 down. However, they went on to lose their next 10 league games, leaving them languishing near the bottom as they struggled to adapt. They have had issues at both ends of the pitch, in the bottom five for goals scored and goals conceded. Three defeats in a row have put them in the mire, on Tuesday Ken Charles squandered a 78th minute penalty having already netted for Craig Edwards’ men, two minutes later Dave Winfield’s winner for Chelmsford deflated the hosts.

Late October saw the Hertfordshire side visit Twerton, a fixture won by City by virtue of a Cody Cooke penalty in the 75th minute.

For City, they saw their play-off hopes take a huge blow with defeat almost two weeks ago at Weymouth on Easter Monday. Although they claimed victory last week, they still lie in 12th position, nine points behind Braintree Town who occupy the final play-off spot. With Braintree facing eighth placed Eastbourne on Saturday, it means it’s mathematically impossible for City to finish in the top seven.

Despite this, they will still be hoping to win and climb as high as possible, and a top 10 finish is still well up for grabs. It could also be a special occasion for defenders Kieran Parselle and Danny Greenslade, who are both set to make their 50th appearance for the club.

It’ll be City’s third visit to Theobalds Lane, with the past two both falling in 2006. Michael Deane’s free-kick just over 17 years ago clinched Cheshunt victory to aid their survival quest, but the Romans gained revenge six months later. Despite Scott Rogers seeing an early penalty saved, Lewis Hogg’s double was enough for a 2-0 win. City went on to win the Southern Premier title, while Cheshunt finished bottom the following season – to date it’s their last relegation.