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Monday 29 August 2005 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

Southern League Premier Division
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| half-time: 1-0 |
result: W4-0 |
attendance: 632 |
| team: |
Fisher, S Jones, York, Holland (Harris 75), Coupe, Rollo (c), G Jones (Power 87), Holloway,
Walsh (Hulbert 82), Partridge, Sandell. subs not used: Bryant, Paul. |
| man of the match: |
Chris Holland |
| scorers: |
Partridge (6,78), Walsh (65), Sandell (88) |
| bookings: |
none |
| officials: |
K Johnson (Bristol), S Johnson (Southampton), I Smith (Eastleigh) |
| league position: 2nd |
form: WWWDLW |
next match: Banbury (H) |
For the second successive season City showed that they can perform better at Twerton Park from the away dressing room. Last season when facing tenant’s Team Bath in their ‘away’ game they were in the middle of a four month spell without a home win, but turned this form on its head in recording a 4-1 victory. And this time, just two days after tamely surrounding to Salisbury City at Twerton Park, they produced their best performance of the season so far to run out 4-0 winners in a game that was every bit as comfortable as it sounds.
City boss John Relish reacted to that Salisbury loss by handing Chris Holland his first start of the season following his summer hernia operation alongside Matt Coupe at the heart of the defence. Andrew York was brought into the starting XI in place of Graeme Power and Jon Holloway was moved into midfield, with Adie Harris dropping to the bench. These changes had an almost immediate effect as Scott Partridge brought a fine save out of Chitty after just six minutes. From the resulting corner Gethin Jones picked out Holland at the far post and his shot back across goal was turned home by Partridge. City’s top scorer nearly doubled their lead moments later when he reached a ball forward ahead of Chitty. However, by the time he was in a position to shoot the University-based side had got numbers back and the danger was cleared. The next opening fell to Jim Rollo who flashed a shot narrowly wide after more good work from Partridge. Team Bath were seeing a fair share of possession but their familiar neat approach play rarely looked like breaching City’s backline where Holland was looking as if he’d never been away. City always looked to have the greater cutting edge and Phil Walsh forced Chitty into another flying stop midway through the half with a rising 20-yard shot. Coupe and Partridge then combined to send Walsh clear but he blazed over the bar just before the interval.
The opening fifteen minutes of the second half were largely uneventful although a couple of Team Bath set-pieces had to be dealt with by Andy Fisher in the City goal. Four minutes after the hour mark City went two goals up. Andy Sandell created the goal with a low cross that eluded three defenders to find Walsh. He confidently fired it past Chitty to open his City account. The ‘home’ side were now forced to push forward and City caught them several times with swift counter attacks. From one such break they made it 3-0 after 78 minutes. Partridge created a shooting chance on the edge of the box but his effort looked to be easy for Chitty only for the ball to somehow creep underneath the keeper and into the net. Team Bath almost grabbed a consolation goal on 83 minutes when a poor Coupe header gave Denton a chance that he could only fire into the side netting. Steve Jones then got forward and should have set up Partridge for his hat-trick only to choose the wrong pass. However, with a minute left City did score again, Sandell producing a stunning 25-yard effort that flew past a rooted Chitty. He almost repeated the trick in stoppage time but by then City were ‘home’ and dry.
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