Bath Sporting Round-Up

Both Bath teams had incredible games this weekend.

In the football, Bath City took on Dover Athletic hoping to remain top of the National League South. Bath Rugby faced London Scottish and were hoping to get their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign back on track following last week's loss to Jersey Reds. 

London Scottish drown at Bath

Bath answered all the criticisms from their heavy loss at home to the Jersey Reds with a comprehensive victory over London Scottish. The visitors got the first points on the board when Alec Lloyd-Seed scored a penalty.

A few minutes later Bath would open the floodgates, scoring their first try of the game courtesy of Niall Annett and Piers Francis converted for the extra points. Bath would be the next team to score, with Louie Hennessey going over the line for Bath's second try, but this time Francis’ attempted conversion fell short. 

Lloyd-Seed would score another penalty for London Scottish, but the attempt to get back into the game would be squandered when Chris Cloete socred Bath's third try of the game, Francis converted making it 19-6 at half-time. 

The second half would start slow until Bath would get a fourth try via a penalty try. The home side didn’t stop and added a fifth try via Fergus Lee-Warner to make it 33-6. The bonus points had already been secured, but Tom de Glanville wanted to get in on the scoring adding two tries in quick succession with Francis converting both to make it 47-6 to Bath. 

London Scottish would add a consolation try through Ben Waghorn, who closed the score to 47-11 following a failed conversion. The game would end with no more scoring and moved Bath level with the Jersey Reds on 10 points in Pool C.

Baths' next match is away to Northampton who lost their last game to Bristol by just one point. 

Bath City the comeback kings

Bath City had been hoping for a more comfortable game this weekend against Dover. The midweek tie in the FA Cup saw the Romans come from two goals down to win at Larkhall. 

The game started with both sides going back and forth, Bath would get their first big chance in the 18th minute when Ewan Clark crossed to Jordan Thomas who headed narrowly over. The next chance would fall to Clark himself after Cody Cooke set him up, but the striker could not get enough behind the ball.

Bath would come to regret not taking their chances when the away side opened the scoring in the 36th minute. Archie Hatcher fired a stunning strike into the top corner to silence the Bath faithful. 

Cooke had been cooking in the first half and immediately after going behind, he forced a great save out of Dover goalkeeper Billy Terrell. Unfortunately, Cooke would need to be replaced before half-time which was a big blow to the hosts. 

Half-time would come with Bath having a few more chances, and the second half saw them continue the search for an equaliser. But against the run of play, Dover would be awarded a penalty in the 57th minute, much to the rapture of the crowd who were convinced the Dover man had dived. 

Iffy Allen would convert making it 2-0 to Dover Athletic; for the second time in a week, Bath found themselves two goals down. Surely they could not do it again. 

The second goal lit a fire under the home side, and they immediately found a way back into the game. Clark clipped the ball across the face of the goal for Thomas who was waiting to smash home and make it 2-1. 

Clark had been a problem the entire game and had found plenty of opportunities to hit balls into the box. The away side was unable to prevent him from doing it again, Clark launched the ball to the back post once again finding Thomas who met the ball allowing Scott Wilson to tap home and draw the game level late on. 

A late sending-off for Dover gave Bath hope of a winner, but the game would end two apiece in a thrilling comeback for the community day crowd to enjoy. The Romans' next game is another away trip in the FA Cup. The third qualifying round tie against Weymouth promises to be a spectacle.