Truro City (1) 1 Bath City (0) 1 – Tuesday 5 September 2023 – Vanarama National League South – Bolitho Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Dan Hayfield’s stoppage time free-kick secured a point for Bath City at a balmy Bolitho Park.
Former Roman Tyler Harvey had given the hosts, playing some 73 miles from their former home, an early lead.
Eventually the energy sapped from the hard-working home side and City exploited it with a strong finish.
They were eventually rewarded with Hayfield’s late intervention to extend their unbeaten run to five.
Truro started the stronger and broke the deadlock with a few familiar faces combining.
Connor Riley-Lowe’s crossfield ball was collected by Ryan Law who found Dan Rooney in the box. His pull back was ideal for Harvey and the Truro talisman clinically stroked home from 12 yards across Ollie Wright.
Rocky Neal’s venomous volley flew just over on 20 minutes as the White Tigers looked to build on a lively opening, but instead City improved and were close to levelling on the half hour.
Joe Raynes’ cross from the right saw Jordan Thomas’ header deflected onto the post by Riley-Lowe with Scott Wilson smashing the rebound wide.
Jordan Dyer’s acrobatic effort was superbly clawed out by Jamie Pardington, another past City loanee in Truro’s ranks, with another in Will Dean blocking Raynes’ telling delivery from a packed area as half-time loomed.
The second half began in similar vein to the first with Truro close to extending their lead as Adam Porter’s right-wing cross was headed wide by Harvey.
On the hour Elliott Frear replaced Joe Raynes in a tactical switch to match up Truro and although Porter’s first time piledriver narrowly cleared the bar, the change worked in City’s favour.
Tom Smith’s venomous attempt was inches away from beating Pardington and former Truro front man Cody Cooke headed Frear’s cross over as the visitors probed, with captain Kieran Parselle keeping a steady eye in defence against a fresh forward line in substitutes Harvey Greenslade and Obed Yeboah.
Another Frear cross caused Truro issues as Pardington flapped at the delivery with Clark spinning and shooting into the side-netting.
Hayfield replaced Thomas in among this promising spell and it proved an inspired change.
After Smith was caught on the edge of the box by Rooney, Hayfield eyed up the free-kick and drilled it through the wall with Pardington only able to glove it onto the post and into the net.
Harvey Greenslade immediately shot wide on the turn for Paul Wotton’s men, who recorded a third successive 1-1 draw with Bath.
While it knocked the Romans off top spot, it maintains their unbeaten away run and leaves them with a handy 17 points from eight games.
Att: 304
City’s Line-Up: Wright, Raynes (Frear 60), Greenslade, Dyer, Parselle (c), Cooke, Smith, Clark, Thomas (Hayfield 80), Wilson, Russe. Subs not used: Fletcher, Lines, Morgan.
Scorers: City – Hayfield (90+2); Truro – Harvey (5)
City Bookings: Raynes (26), Smith (52)
Officials: L Sandoe, N Wormleighton, J Long