No Angels

When City were facing relegation last year, one of the names that always cropped up when berating the team for dropping into the Conference South was Tonbridge Angels, normally along the lines of "I can't wait for the away game at Tonbridge Angels" etc etc., Now I don't know what it was about Tonbridge that particularly attracted the distain, or whether it was the unusual second naming of Angels, but sadly the team from Kent definitely was used as the lowest of the low.

The "Angels" moniker comes from when Tonbridge F.C., started playing at the Angel ground (formally home of Kent CCC) the ground was so named due to a hotel/inn called the Angel. So Tonbridge FC adopted the nickname of Angels, the original Tonbridge hit financial difficulties in 1976 and was liquidated, Tonbridge Angels were immediately formed to finish the season, and to keep football in Tonbridge. The only other bit of information I have about them, is that current England manager Roy Hodgson played for the original Tonbridge F.C. in his non league career.

I was already in London, so the journey to Kent was a fairly easy one, a direct train from Charing Cross dropping us in Tonbridge town centre. Now last season I wrote that Braintrees ground was the hardest ground to find, well while not quite being in that league of difficulty Tonbridge's Longmead Stadium is definitely a bit hidden!

Leaving the station you turn into the High Street which is like any other, however, it soon opens up and includes the remains of a castle, and Tonbridge school, which is unbelievably fancy. Keep going up side streets, until you reach Tonbridge cemetery, cut through the cemetery, and turn left and finally you reach the car park, however, even then it wasn't obvious which the main entrance was! Thankfully, we finally found the turnstyle, paid and entered.

The Longmead Stadium was built in 1980, and has a decent sized seated stand on the far side of the pitch, two smallish terrace ends, and a dug out side with a separate directors/press/officials stand. So all in all, a classic modernish non league ground, clubs must be amazed when they arrive at Twerton Park and see the grand old girl in all her glory.

After the travails of finding the ground, came the ecstasy and agony of the game! The pitch was showing the damage of the heavy rain, and by the corner flag I took up my position by in the first half, there were large patches of heavy mud.

Tonbridge started well, and had the early opportunities. Then on 10 minutes City had their first attack, Josh Low gained the ball on the right and hit a waist height cross into the box, a covering Tonbridge defender tried to block the ball, and it hit his arm. I instantly appealed, as did a few others, and the penalty was given. Tonbridge showed, what was to be a petulant streak, and berated the lino/ref, but to no avail.

Sean Canham stepped up to take the penalty, and hit a low, soft shot towards which Lee Worgan saved well, however, Low reacted quickest and pounced on the rebound, he rolled the ball along the ground and Sean Canham gratefully tapped in.

The Tonbridge defence (left back excepted) were big, bruising lads, who on a few occasions outmuscled the City players, sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly. However, the homeside were posing questions, and it was only through wasteful finishing that they were not able to restore parity.

City managed to double the lead in the 40th minute. Noah Keats was running towards the by-line on the left wing, and Tonbridge's number 2 (Sonny Miles I think) the massive number two appeared to push Keats in the back and the young City man was sent sprawling. However, a City fan who was much closer to the action than me says it was not a foul, so I can only defer to his viewpoint. Nevertheless the referee decided it was a push, and awarded a freekick. Aaron Brown floated the ball in, the ball was only cleared to Chris Allen about 19 yards out, who rifled his shot hard and low into the back of the net. Soon after this, Chris Allen was clattered, moments later he chased the left full back down and launched into the tackle, a combination of over eagerness and the wet pitch meant he carried on and his trailing leg clipped the number 3, to his credit he bounced straight back, but number 2 continued marking his card with me, by berating the player for his honesty and saying "you should have stayed down." The half time arrived with City leading 2-0.

We retreated to the clubhouse, for some warmth and a quick refreshment (Tonbridge brewery's "Rustic Bitter", it is always refreshing when a club puts on a local ale) and we left as the game restarted, after overhearing a discussion as to whether the club should shut the curtains on the bar as per FA regulations.

The Angels flew out of the traps in the second half, but again it was the stripes who were to extend their lead.  Sean Canham slid a through ball to Low on the right, the wideman beat one man, before trying to turn and taking an awful touch, however, he just about managed to get a foot to the ball, before he was scythed down by a Tonbridge centre back. Nailed on penalty, this time Chris Allen stepped up and calmly slotted the ball home. 3-0 after 55 minutes, and City were surely cruising.

Then after a defensive mistake a cross was nodded home by Collin, 1-3. City restored their 3 goal cushion within 5 minutes when Connolly fed Canham, and the tall forward placed his shot into the side netting, 1-4 with only 18 minutes to play. I think the immortal words "even we can't mess this up" were muttered. Well City couldn't but God they came close.

As seems to be the way, the stripes suddenly sat deeper and deeper, and invited pressure onto themselves. Some interesting substitutions were made (for interesting read potentially wrong) but it appeared that the stripes were to come away with a three goal victory. Then in the 89th minute Elphick scored with his head, 2-4, probably a more accurate reflection of the game, a fair result, no problem. Then inexplicably the referee started to play a unbelievable amount of injury time (somewhere between 6-10 depending on who's watch you believe!) Tonbridge started to get corner after corner, and from one of these Gayle scored (95th minute.)

Tonbridge now attacked incessantly, and appealed for a penalty (not given) then in the 100th minute a freekick was given just outside the City box. Away fans faces drop, we've all seen this before, it's bound to go in. The freekick was fiercely struck, it is heading for the goal, I cannot believe it, how have we managed this, then a green blur and out of nowhere Glyn Garner gets his hand to the ball and pushes it over the bar, the referee immediately blows, and City have their first league win since September 1st.

The City players barely celebrated and trudged off, looking gaunt, while fans slumped thanking the Garner save and the referees whistle, Sean Canham quipped to a question "we like to keep you on your toes" but he also looked drained. However, the side need to take heart from a performance that did have positives (other than the win obviously!) Chris Allen in particular is showing signs of being a very good player. Onwards and upwards, lets bring on Hornchurch, and hopefully a 2-0 regulation win! UTC!

All change (well maybe, probably not...)

Well what a week for the stripes. After the awful home performances against Boreham Wood and then the FA Cup game against Gosport Borough, City travelled to Gosport for the replay on the Tuesday and lost. So a potential money spinning cup run was thrown away as City's terrible recent form continued.

Cue forum melt down (well melt down of sorts, this is Bath City, it is a maximum of 100 or so posters not millions!) and shouts for the managers head, chairwomans head, the whole boards heads and whoever decided to stop making powdered Bovril (that might just be me...) But it appeared as if nothing further was to happen as the days ticked on, and no announcements were made. However, as I was getting ready to leave work on Friday afternoon I find out Adie Britton had stopped being manager of City, moving to be Director of Football Development, with Lee Howells stepping up from Assistant to Manager with Jim Rollo helping out on the coaching side. Couple this with the announcement that top scorer Kurtis Guthrie was to leave the club and it was a hectic week!

For all the awfulness of last season, and the recent run of poor form this, it should not be forgotten how much Adie has done in his time at City. The club rose two leagues from the Southern League to the Conference National, beat Grimsby away, and generally has been an all round lovely, knowledgeable, intelligent man who has answered questions openly and honestly. Hopefully he will continue to be an asset to the club from his new position.

Onto the game, on national non league day, the stripes were playing Hayes and Yeading United who were relegated with City last season. With Guthrie having left, and Griffin being injured Sean Canham started up front on his own, Harry Hooman (on loan from Cheltenham Town) made his debut at centre back, and for reasons unknown to me, or frankly anyone, Gethin Jones started at right full back.

Within 7 minutes the folly of this decision was exposed when Gethin allowed H&Y's number 11 DanWishart acres of space to put a cross into the which was tapped home by Williams. Wishart was to have a superb game, and ran Jones ragged the City stalwart having absolutely no answer to him, and being beaten time and time again.

H&Y continued attacking well, but slightly against the run of play City equalised, Sean Canham nodded the ball back to Connolly, his shot cannoned off the underside of the bar, but didn't cross the line, however, good following up from Chris Allen allowed the midfielder to bundle the ball home.

H&Y definitely had the better of the play in this period, although a well worked move by City showed the football they can be capable of, and Canham will be disappointed with the soft effort he had at the end of it. Morgan was on the end of a fairly reckless tackle at one point in the game, that had a few calling for a red, but I have been informed by people in a better position than me, that it wasn't a red.

H&Y took the lead again with a carbon copy of their first, Wishart went past Gethin like he wasn't there, and delivered a cross which was met by unmarked Anderson who fired home. The stripes really need to get to grips with the defensive side of the game, as we are currently giving away too many soft goals.

However, Bath City responded and equalised before the half was up, when a good cross by Brown was met with a diving header by Sean Canham which smashed into the post and ended up in the net.

During the first half, one lone fan unfurled a banner which read "Britton + Rigby out" whether he had painted this before Adie quit I do not know, however, I assume that was the case! But fair play to him for having the conviction to show his anger at the ground.

The main notes from the second half, Glyn Garner pulled off a superb save when a powerfully struck freekick curved massively after Garner had shifted his weight, nevertheless Garner managed to get a hand to the ball and push it over the bar. The other main point is that City attacked better in the second half, and for a large swathe of it were the dominate side.

However, all of this is irrelevant when the last 2 minutes are taken into account, a long ball was played towards the City box, Wishart chased the ball, but was met with a perfectly timed tackle by Hooman (it was perfectly timed, I saw Palmers video footage) but incredibly the referee pointed to the spot. The inevitable happened and the penalty was converted, meaning City lost a game that the least they deserved was a draw. Upon the final whistle H&Y's number 4 celebrated like he had won the World Cup, that I think Josh Low noted as he had words with the player, while some fans had a few words for him as well.

So another loss for the stripes, but they did look like scoring, which is better than recent weeks, but my God Charlie Griffin needs to get fit soon and a morale boosting win is desperately, desperately needed.

The luckiest team left in the FA Cup

I signed off the last blog by saying I hoped the next game I saw was of much higher quality than the Boreham Wood game. City have played and lost away at (surely doomed) Truro City, since and lined up against Southern League Gosport Borough in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

Gosport are 15th in the Southern League, so are not exactly a confidence team, sadly neither are the stripes. Sean Canham has surprisingly returned to City, although as he is a very similar player to Guthrie it is interesting to see how he will be utilised, however, if we keep Canham, Guthrie and Griffin then we have a decent set of strikers. Sean Canham started the match up front with Guthrie, and Marc Canham also made a rare start this season. However, a midfield of Morgan, Canham, Keats and Connolly was always going to play with no width on the right, with Jim Rollo lining up at right back there were acres of space on the right which were never going to be exploited.

Much like last week though, the game was of awful quality. Once again City lacked invention and creativity, and there is an argument to say that the money used on Canham (S) should have been used on the midfield as Connolly and Marc Canham have been dire for the last 12 months and something needs to be changed in the engine room.

The crowd was as flat as any I can remember, there was barely a murmur around the grand old ground as everyone seems resigned to the fact that City are lacking in confidence at the moment and that nothing will change this. Throughout the game you can hear the low groan of disappointment as yet another chance to attack is squandered or a misplaced pass misses its intended target.

The stripes had a few chances, and Sean Canham brought out a good save from the frustrating Nathan Ashmore who started time wasting from something like the 5th minute. Guthrie and Morgan linked up in bursts, and did led to having a shot cleared off of the line.

Gosport didn't really fashion a chance until the second half, when a corner was met with a powerful header by Daniel Woodward, fortuitously the header was straight at Garner as if it hadn't been at the Welsh wonder the stripes would surely have gone behind.

Soon after that chance two substitutions were made, Luke Cummings came on for Keats and provided some much needed pace, width and directness down the right hand side, and Griffin came on for the completely ineffectual (some might say lazy) Sean Canham, and within minutes had contributed more that Sean had in his 64 minutes.

The two substitutes invigorated the City side, Cummings was eager to burst forward down the wing, and provided some good crosses and was always looking to receive the ball, while Charlie Griffin provided some much needed moments of pure class and ability, and needs to be used in every game with a rotation policy between Guthrie and Canham.

However, to blot his copybook Cummings tried a backheel in the City half, which fell to a Gosport player, this led to the ball being fed wide, before being whipped into the box Wooden met the ball and City were 1 down with twelve minutes remaining. I thought at this point I was watching a carbon copy of the Aylesbury game that was John Relish's last game, and if we had lost this game I honestly believe Adie would have walked.

Somehow though, City were awarded the most dubious penalty possible, Cummings was desperately trying to atone for his error, and fired a low cross into the box, a Gosport defender led with his chest, at most it connected with the top of his arm/shoulder but the referee pointed to the spot despite the vehement protests. Charlie Griffin stepped up and fired the penalty home.

City almost snatched the victory with a Guthrie chance hitting a post and Griffin narrowly heading wide, however, to say it would have been undeserved would be a massive understatement, the game finished 1-1 and the two sides will reconvene at Gosport's Privett Park on Tuesday for the replay. City stayed in the cup via a debateable penalty, and the least inspiring cup run ever somehow limps on.

Boring Wood

To quote Danny Blanchflower "It is football's power to so readily and regularly corrupt emotions and senses that is the addictive and enduring appeal of the game" and on many occasions this is true, the buzz of a last minute winner (or two goals in 4 minutes to snatch a draw against Darlo for example) can leave you floating out of a ground buzzing with adrenaline and excitement at what you have just seen, however, sometimes football shafts you and makes you watch a game that is so devoid of entertainment that you find yourself praying for the final whistle.

Sadly, the game against Boreham Wood was one such game, other than being the topic of a fairly amusing terrace chant of last season (we're all going on a train to Boreham Wood) there is little to say of note about Boreham Wood, and they are just another of the South East teams we will have to face this season, and it was with this lack of excitement that an expectedly low crowd of 508 turned up.

City's seemingly never ending injury list continues, with Josh Low and Joe Burnell injured and the news that Sekani Simpsons knee injury collected at Salisbury was to keep him out until the new year at the earliest. So Luke Cummings continued deputising at rightback/wingback and a midfield three of Connolly, Keats and Allen provided little width, if some nice passing ability.

Within the first minute Guthrie was fouled on the very edge of the area, some say in the area, and a freekick was awarded, sadly it wasn't in the box as and early goal may have completely changed the tone of the game. As it was the freekick led to nothing and an early chance passed.

Guthrie then had the best chance of the game, when his powerful downward header from an Aaron Brown corner was cleared off the line by a desperate hack from the Boreham Wood defender.

The Boreham Wood keeper was looking nervy and pretty useless, but sadly City weren't able to capitalise on this and should have really put the custodian under greater pressure. A few chances came and went, but none seemed clear cut and nailed on chances.

The second half was more tedious than the first, and the only thing of note was a booking for Jimmer when he committed two fouls in quick succession to prevent the breakaway, a lusty rendition of "We love Jim Rollo" was sung in anticipation of the guaranteed red card, miraculously it was only a yellow, but the sad state of affairs is that a foul is my most vivid memory of the second half.

The game finished 0-0 the first stalemate since Luton Town visited in January 2011. While the performance wasn't great, it wasn't worth the handwringing and panic the draw has brought about, but God I hope the next game I see the men in black and white play is much more attacking and exciting.