Next Match – Yeovil Town (A)
Yeovil Town host Bath City this Saturday in the league for the first time since September 1994 in what promises to be a humdinger of a West Country Derby.
Barring cup games, the last time these sides met at Huish Park was in the GM Vauxhall Conference. With Jerry Gill in City’s starting line-up, the Romans won 2-1 thanks to goals from Paul Chenoweth and Gary Smart, either side of Paul Wilson’s header for the Glovers. The Bath Chronicle report highlighted: “City’s celebrations in the centre circle after the whistle befitted FA Cup winners. Gleeful Jerry Gill and Chenoweth saluted their equally jubilant supporters by sliding across the turf towards them in a Klinsmann-style dive.” City finished 12th that season while Yeovil were relegated to the Isthmian League.
Fast forward to 2024. Four relegations in 10 seasons saw Town back at Step 2 of the non-league pyramid for the first time since 1997, but they’re looking to make the stay brief. A club record 14 straight wins in all competitions ended with an FA Trophy loss at Torquay which started a wobble of one win in seven, that at Twerton Park in December. Two draws and two wins have followed, their last outing was a Boxing Day bashing of Taunton Town at Huish Park. Their 4-1 success was their biggest in the league this term and continues their unbeaten home run in all competitions since April.
Meanwhile, the Romans haven’t lost since their unfortunate 1-0 defeat against Yeovil last month. They’ve only conceded one goal in five games since but will be without goalkeeper Will Buse, who is ineligible against his parent club. Slav Huk will step in, as he did at Twerton. His league debut in front of 3,639 is City’s biggest home crowd at this level, Yeovil will be looking to break the National League South record for a third time this term on Saturday – 6,301 is the figure to surpass.
The two teams boast impressive attacking numbers this season. Yeovil’s Rhys Murphy, Jordan Young and Frank Nouble have 35 between them in all competitions, while City’s leading trio of Scott Wilson, Cody Cooke and Jordan Thomas surpass that with 40. Cooke is one shy of 50 for the club.
A staggering 273 matches between the clubs have been played out. City have won 94, drawn 57 and lost 122 since the first meeting in 1901. Yeovil have won three of the last four at Huish – they claimed the Somerset Premier Cup in 2022 against Gill’s side having lost in the semi-finals to City 14 years previous. The Romans were defeated in the FA Cup against their Somerset rivals in 2002, a 3-1 replay defeat in the 4th Qualifying Round after a 1-1 draw at Twerton. The Glovers also ousted Paul Bodin’s team out of the FA Trophy in January 2001, recovering from a goal down.
But the long wait for a league tussle between the two is nearly over! Book your space on the supporters coach via Bath City FC Supporters Club (bathcityfcsc.com) or by contacting Cheryl Bradley. Tickets are available here BATH CITY – MyProVenue™ (tickets.com).
If you’re unable to attend you can listen live to Bath City Radio who will be on air from 2.45pm.
