One of the bizarre things of English football (and non league especially) is the ridiculous runs of fixtures that occasionally occur. Currently part time Bath City (that's part-time Bath City) have a run of 8 games in a month (and 6 in 18 days) so after the first game at Welling United on Saturday, we reconvened at the newly named Mayday Trust Park (from now on I am referring to the ground by its old name of Twerton Park) for the visit of Maidenhead United.
Maidenhead United play at York Road the oldest continuously used football ground in England (so possibly the world as I can't imagine anywhere else will beat it) however, they were relegated at the end of last season but due to Kettering Town dropping into the Southern League they were reprieved.
City lined up with two out and out forwards in Charlie Griffin & new boy Kurtis Guthrie, Kerry Morgan dropped to the bench with a niggling injury, Adam Connolly replaced Joe Burnell and Jim Rollo started a game in this his tenth year of being with the men in black and white.
However, Jimmer didn't cover himself in glory with a lunging tackle most unlike the club legend and all round good egg, which earned him a rebuke from the referee and also ended up injuring Jim himself, who limped off after 5 minutes to be replaced by Danny Ball.
The crowd at TP was in good voice, and cheering on a City side attacking with pace and power down the left wing. Aaron Brown capitalised on an error and burst down the left before floating in a gorgeous cross which was begging to be finished, Kurtis Guthrie tried to head the ball towards the bottom corner, but the Maidenhead keeper Lumley got a good hand to it, but despite the custodians best effort the ball ended up in the back of the net. City were one up within 9 minutes and Guthrie showed the cockiness and confidence that is possibly needed in a striker with his initially nonchalant then crowd kissing celebrations.
However, Brown had managed to do himself a disservice and himself was replaced by the already carrying a knock Morgan. Therefore with 15 minutes City were 1 up, but had lost two players to injury.
Morgan instantly caused the Maidenhead full back trouble and City had a few more decent chances. The full repetoire of songs were being utilised and we were remembering how good football can be after last seasons never ending tale of misery at TP.
Garner continued his impressive early season form, but given the way his name was sung continually it would have appeared to someone outside the ground as if City were continually on the backfoot and that it was only the Welsh international that were keeping them in it!
On 36 minutes the ball was worked to Morgan, and the Welsh wingman wriggled his way past a couple of defenders and onto the touchline, the crowd expected a cut back along the ground, but instead Morgan dinked a wonderful little chipped cross onto the head of Guthrie who powered in his second goal of the game. 2-0 to City and the half time whistle blew with everyone feeling pretty pleased.
Maidenhead came out after the break revitalised and attacked City as if they felt they could get something from the game, but City were defending manfully and attacking when they could.
Nevertheless, on 73 Maidenhead scored, I was not paying attention having received a phone call, so while fumbling for my phone I missed the goal, from what I know it was scored from a corner (a slight problem for non league is I cannot turn to MOTD or the Football League show to see anything you miss!) Morgan had seemed to pick up another injury, or was perhaps removed as a precaution but City youngster Noah Keats came on in his place.
Keats had an immediate impact, within minutes of coming on the ball dropped to Keats who threaded a wonderful reverse pass through the defence and into Guthrie's path (I initially thought he was offside, but having watched Palmers video highlights he was clearly onside.)
The young front man took a brilliant first touch which fed the ball perfectly into his stride, he then calmly slotted it past the onrushing keeper for a cooly taken goal which sealed his hat-trick on his home debut.
The game finished 3-1 at which point the heavens opened. I stood around under the Popular Side roof waiting for the rain to subside while chatting to fellow stripes, at which point Palmer rang to say he was outside the ground, he said the rain was just "fine rain" and that the floodlights were making it look worse...this was a pure unadulterated lie as it was hammering it down! Thoroughly soaked we retired to The White Horse to discuss what was an excellent opening home game of the season and the incredible impact by Kurtis Guthrie, now bring on the bank holiday double header against Havant and Waterlooville (H) and Dorchester Town (A).
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