Saturday 10 December 2005 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

Southern League Premier Division
half-time: 0-0 result: W2-0 attendance: 490
team: Evans, Rollo (c), S Jones, Coupe, G Jones, Harris, McConnell (Davidge 73), Clarke, Walsh (Bird 64), Partridge, Sandell. subs not used: York, Power.
man of the match: Jim Rollo
scorers: Partridge (74,76)
bookings: none
officials: K Haines (Windsor), C Brokenshaw (Portland), R Taylor (Weymouth)
league position: 7th form: WWLWDW next match: Cheshunt (H)
Report taken from by Richard Gadsby

Grantham must be sick of the sight of Scott Partridge. The City striker has now scored eight goals in his last four games against the Lincolnshire outfit, the latest brace coming in a game that, for over an hour, had looked as likely to provide a goal as a Chelsea-Liverpool Champions League game. City can argue they deserved the win after, yet again, dominating possession against a team who had clearly come to Twerton for a point. But until Partridge's 74th-minute opener there had only been two shots on target as Grantham's deep defending and City's lack of invention made for frustrating viewing for the fans. Inevitably, both of those shots came from Bath's Andy Sandell who is fast becoming too good for this level. Only the most stone-hearted City fan would deny him a jump into league football but, despite training with Swansea again last week, it does not look like the winger is on the move just yet.

A lively start to the game proved to be a false dawn and the first half soon turned into a scrappy war of attrition played in Grantham's half. It could have been a very different game had Sandell's delayed shot not been charged down by defender Steve Julian after five minutes. Grantham also looked good early on with Martin Carruthers and Adam Sturgess both testing the Bath backline with well-timed runs but after that chances were at a premium. Phil Walsh came closest to scoring but could only head wide from a Barry McConnell cross after 20 minutes as City slowly took control. The home side dominated posession but rarely troubled the Grantham backline and five minutes before the break the visitors almost took the lead when a Martin Matthews cross-shot flashed across the six-yard box only to be taken off the toes of Jason Turner by the diving Paul Evans.

Neither side created a chance in a turgid start to the second half and only some skilful turns and crosses from Sandell on the left provided any sort of excitement. The Twerton Park crowd started to grow restless at the prospect of a third successive home game with no goals but substitute Tony Bird's introduction on the hour sparked the game into life. Bird set up Partridge on 69 minutes for a close-range shot on the right which hit the side-netting and a powerful, 20-yard shot from Sandell was tipped wide moments later as City started to pile on the pressure. A solid Grantham defence looked like they had weathered the storm but then keeper Mario Ziccardi spilled a weak-cross from the energetic Craig Davidge and the ball rolled to Partridge on the back post for an easy tap-in. His second goal, two minutes later, could not have been more different. Still on a high from his earlier effort, the striker hit a sweet half-volley from 25 yards straight into the top right corner to leave Ziccardi with no chance. The goals finally spurred Grantham into action and they should have scored at least once late on with Adrian Speed blasting high and wide from just inside the box and an unmarked Carruthers heading over with four minutes to go. It was too little too late from the visitors as City held on for a valuable three points although Partridge's return to form could prove just as crucial.