Cobbs beaten by 5-star second half blitz
Two goal Dave O'Hare striking the bar during the first half
On another warm evening at the Tannery Ground a good-sized crowd were treated to an extremely entertaining game with the visitors eventually showing that extra bit of class late on that comes with being a couple of step higher up the non-league pyramid.
The early stages were evenly contested with chances being created at both ends, with James Ollis forcing a good save from Street stopper Joe Moore early doors before Lewis Waldy and Aidan Chainey put pressure on the visitor’s defence with teasing crosses into their penalty area. Moore was soon called into action again smothering a long-range effort from Adam Mann before the home side made the breakthrough after 15 minutes. A neat interception by Chainey saw him feed the ball to Steve Murray who jinked and crossed for Dave O’Hare to powerfully head home into an empty net. The visitors weren’t fazed though and Mann again went close with a looping header that went wide and John Mills hit his shot tamely into Punchard’s arms when well placed.
Not long after Street almost doubled their advantage after being awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Up stepped O’Hare whose whipped shot cannoned off the crossbar with Kieron Hodges in the Bath goal well beaten. Street were very much in the ascendancy at this stage and had further chances through Murray, Craig Herrod and Jamie Short, but Bath somehow managed to reach the interval just one goal behind.
Craig Herrod in action last night
The visitors made several changes at half-time, but the newcomers hadn’t settled into the game before Street almost capitalised on another free kick which somehow went through a forest of legs before the ball drifted inches wide. But after 50 minutes the home side’s lead was doubled from yet another free kick, and it was O’Hare again who did the damage as he neatly swung his effort around the Bath defensive wall with the ball nestled in the bottom corner. This finally woke up Bath and following a first-time effort from Ross Stearn that went just wide, they pulled one back when Mann burst through a host of defender to slam the ball home from 25 yards. Just four minutes later the scores were level as Frankie Artus finished off a neat one-two with Mann by slotting the ball under Tom Punchard.
Punchard was again called into action moments later to stop another long-range effort from Stearn, before the same player skidded another effort wide. The reprieve was shot-lived though as a quick-fire Mills double put the visitor well on top, his first from the edge of the Street penalty area after picking up on a loose ball and the second five minutes later after making the most of a slight defensive lapse. The home side didn’t let their heads drop though and they kept on creating chances with first Leigh Bailey heading into the side netting from an awkward angle then substitute Harry Foster going close with a long-range effort.
With the play becoming stretched a fifth goal for Bath was almost an inevitability and it duly came when Sean Bird made the most of a good advantage to beat his marker and slide the ball home to make it five Bath goals in a 20-minute burst. The chances didn’t end there though with both sides having further opportunities to add to their respective tallies, but a combination of tiring limbs and good goalkeeping from Punchard and Hodges kept it to just the seven goals.
Excellent entertainment on the night for both sets of supporters and the players must be commended for their efforts in the warm conditions. Good luck to Bath City for the season ahead.
Thank you Rog P for the match report.....
Physio Ant Cornish being kept busy