Purton Women (0) 2 Bath City Women (0) 0 – Wednesday 17 April 2024 – South West Regional WFL Eastern Division – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Bath City Women suffered their first league defeat of 2024 as they concluded their encouraging campaign on a low note.
Lisa Coe and Debbie Rose netted after the break for Purton, in a game switched to Twerton Park which brought a record high attendance for City’s women’s side.
City had plenty of opportunities but couldn’t find a way past Icelandic stopper Thorn Sigthordottir.
Matt Abreu’s team started brightly with Ashley Harris bursting through inside a minute, but Sigthordottir denied her despite slipping when advancing off her line.
Lily Simmons shot into the side-netting from a tight angle and Hari Sabic’s excellent touch and turn into space preceded an intelligent dink over the grounded stopper, who was relived to see the ball drift just wide.
After a dominant first half, Purton stunned City by opening the scoring inside 30 seconds of the restart.
Having received the ball from substitute Claire Moreton, Coe was afforded space in the box, cut inside of Harleigh Curtis and easily fired home inside Farley’s right post from 10 yards.
Harris was denied by the knees of Sigthordottir as City sought an immediate leveller, but they struggled to test the Purton goalkeeper thereafter.
Abby Gray hooked Mils Bellotti’s free-kick over but Purton’s next set-piece resulted in their second.
Moreton’s teasing corner bounced in off Rose in the six yard box, who appeared to know little about it.
Becca Wakley threw herself in the way to deny Libby Goater and Harris shot too close to Sigthordottir as the Romans hunted a consolation.
One didn’t arrive as defeat consigned Abreu’s side to fourth, a credible finish following last year’s promotion.
Att: 232
City’s Line-Up: Farley, Key, Dellow, Bellotti, Gray, Curtis, Taylor (c), Harris, Goater, Harvey, Simmons. Subs used: Dunne, Wright, Giles, Sabic.
Scorers: City – none; Purton – Coe (46), Rose (88)
Referee: tbc