Tuesday 27 September 2005 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm

Southern League Premier Division
half-time: 0-2 result: L1-2 attendance: 618
team: Evans, S Jones, York, Coupe (G Jones 59), Holland (Power 45), Rollo (c), Harris (Paul 86), Holloway, Bird, Partridge, Sandell. subs not used: Bryant, Kamara-Taylor.
man of the match: Graeme Power
scorers: S Jones (72)
bookings: York (5), Rollo (41), Harris (76)
officials: J Cox (Evesham), T Lawrence (Bridgwater), N Fry (Chard)
league position: 8th form: WLWLWL next match: Rugby (A)
Report taken from by Richard Gadsby

Bath City slumped to a third successive home defeat in the Southern Premier League with a dire display against Mangotsfield last night. An awful first-half performance from City cost them the game after they fell behind to two sloppy goals. The second half was slightly better although Mangotsfield defended deeper and still looked likely to add to their tally with Paul Evans forced into several good saves to keep the scoreline respectable.

City fell behind after just four minutes when Chris Holland challenged for a header eight yards out and only succeeded in powering it past Evans. It was a sign of things to come as Mangotsfield kept up the pressure with a series of good chances whilst City continually gave the ball away. Evans was forced into a brave sliding save at the feet of Rob Claridge after nine minutes and had to be sharp to catch an attempted lob from David Seal off the rebound. Two minutes later Matt Coupe headed safely into the arms of Danny Greaves from a corner for City's only clear chance of the half. With ten minutes of the half left, Claridge doubled the visitors' lead. The striker burst into the box and hit a low drive at Evans from ten yards out after being forced inside by Steve Jones. It was a powerful effort but Evans should have held on to it and could only watch as the ball skidded off his palm and into the net. With three minutes of the half left Evans redeemed himself by holding onto a 15-yard Drew Shore shot which was destined for the top left hand corner.

The game was more even in the second half and City almost pulled one back when Scott Partridge was denied by the far post after latching on to a deep Andy Sandell cross from the left. Partridge flashed a long range effort over two minutes later as Bath finally started to build some pressure. Mangotsfield still looked dangerous on the break, but it was City who got the next goal when a Sandell cross from the left found Steve Jones on the back post who nodded home. City were suddenly back in a game that looked lost at half-time and the home side finally began to string some passes together as the idea of scraping a point became a real possibility. But, for all City's possession, it was Mangotsfield who went on to create the better chances and with three minutes to go Evans made an excellent save from a 20-yard Ellis Wilmot shot to make sure the game ended 2-1.