Paulton Rovers Ladies (0) 0 Bath City Women (0) 1 – Wednesday 6 May 2026
Shield Services Group SW Regional WFL Div 1N – Winterfield Road
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Poppy Spratt was on target as Bath City Women clinched a second straight victory.
The midfielder forced the ball home just after half-time to see off already relegated Paulton Rovers.
City should have won by more, and were nearly made to pay with a few late scares.
But the defence stood firm to record a second straight clean sheet, with Lara Allan impressing as a substitute for the injured Katie Davies.
Paulton’s Evie Thatcher lofted a free-kick onto the roof of the net with Lucy Clay backtracking early on, but otherwise City looked the more threatening.
Jess Evans’ centre was nearly looped into her own net by Alice Dwyer, who’d scored an own goal in the cup tie between the two in March.
Spratt placed wide after excellent control and lay-off from Beth Edwards and Tara Taylor was denied by the feet of Rosie Kelsey after a kind ricochet in the box.
It hadn’t really clicked for City in the first half but they moved up a gear in the second half, with their positive start rewarded with an opener.
Evans’ corner from the left was a teaser and Spratt arrived to divert home from close range, with the ball appearing to go in off her hip.
Bex Fry’s free-kick sailed just off target with Kelsey at full stretch and Amy Key prodded wide after Clodagh Moran and Taylor combined down the right.
Davies hobbled off soon after with Development side centre-back Allan on for her debut.
Rennie’s header was deflected onto the post as City searched for a second to make the closing stages more comfortable.
By not finding one, they were nearly made to pay.
Home captain Alexei Turner pulled wide from 25 yards and Martha Slocombe’s late free-kick flashed across goal with Alice Ford unable to get enough contact.
To Paulton’s credit, they didn’t capitulate like the cup semi-final two months ago as they remained in the game, but the Romans always seemed to have enough as they made it three wins against their Somerset rivals this season.
City’s Line-Up: Clay; Taylor, Gray, Davies, Rennie; Fry, Spratt; Storey, Edwards, Evans; Clarke. Subs used: Allan, Key, Moran, Vilday.
Scorers: City – Spratt (53); Paulton – none
Referee: Jack Cooper
