Poole Town Ladies 1st (2) 4 Bath City Women 1st (1) 1 – Sunday 17 September 2023 – South West WFL Eastern Division – The County Ground
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City Women fell to their first defeat of the season against newly relegated Poole Town Ladies in Hamworthy.
Hari Sabic had swiftly cancelled out Beth Anderson’s opener, but the Dolphins went into the break ahead through Debbie Collinson’s fine strike.
Summer Williams and Anderson’s second helped clinch the hosts’ success in an entertaining contest in Dorset.
City should have fallen behind inside 90 seconds when Lauren Kelly burst away down the left but placed wide with just Sadie Farley to beat.
They were gifted an opener midway through the half when Farley’s goal kick was latched upon and led to Anderson calmly rounding the goalkeeper before squeezing a shot past Mils Bellotti on the line.
Matt Abreu’s team levelled three minutes later when Tara Taylor’s barnstorming run concluded with teeing up Sabic, who neatly turned Becca Witherington and slammed home from 15 yards.
Emily Dellow’s tremendous curler just outside the box cannoned off the bar and City were left to rue these fine margins when they fell behind on 38 minutes.
The Romans failed to clear a throw-in and Collinson showed tidy footwork before superbly lofting past Farley from 18 yards.
Taylor was twice denied by stand-in keeper Be-Be Smith soon after the break but a third goal for Poole knocked the stuffing out of the visitors.
Following sustained pressure, Alice Fisher pulled back to Williams who blasted past the helpless Farley from eight yards.
Poole rounded off the scoring with a well-worked stoppage time goal, Anderson sweeping in from close range after a tired City backline were pulled apart.
While it gave the scoreline a slightly flattering look, the hosts were worthy winners and City can take pride that they competed well with a side likely to be challenging for promotion.
City’s Line-Up: Farley; Curtis, Bellotti, Gray, Black; Taylor, Harris; Key, Goater, E Dellow; Sabic. Subs used: Wright, Bull, Pearce.
Scorers: City – Sabic (26); Poole – Anderson (23, 90+3), Collinson (38), Williams (68)
Referee: Kevin Guest