British Gas Business Football League Premier Division
Saturday 23 September 2006 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

half-time: 1-0

result: D1-1

attendance: 633

team:	Evans, Rollo (c), S Jones, Holloway (Clarke 67), Holland, Rogers (Davidge 74), Green, Hogg, Pepperell (Pritchard 81), Partridge, McKeever. subs not used: York.
man of the match:	Paul Evans
scorers:	Holloway (22)
bookings:	Holloway (14), Rollo (56), Hogg (80)
officials:	A Newell (Yate), R Corp (Frome), M Pottage (Wincanton)

league position: 5th

form: LWDdWD

next match: Merthyr (FAC) (H)

Report taken from

by Richard Gadsby

The winless run continues, but Bath City can take heart from their finest home performance this season after a tense, end-to-end affair with British Gas Business Premier Division leaders King's Lynn. In context, three points from four home games hardly seems like championship form, yet City stay just one win away from top spot following a good point against a side almost certain to be challenging for automatic promotion by the end of April.In a game where winning was secondary to not losing on the priority list, it was always going to be tight. The real surprise was watching both sides try to take the game by the scruff of the neck straight from the kick-off in an encounter which swung more wildly than a Tiger Woods' tee shot. Last week's drab goalless draw with Tiverton in the FA Cup seemed a million miles away and even the Twerton Park crowd seemed noisier than they have all season. They were rewarded for their efforts, as well.

Both sides wasted good chances in the opening minutes with Sam McMahon firing wide from eight yards after a goalmouth scramble followed by a Scott Partridge header which went just over at the other end. Paul Evans then made an excellent double save when Jack Defty fired a McMahon cross straight at him from eight yards and then tried to scoop the rebound in, only for the South African shot-stopper to pluck the ball from the air. City responded with Chris Holland forcing visiting keeper Shaun Marshall into a fingertip save on to the bar from a Mark McKeever corner. A few minutes later, another McKeever corner produced the game's opening goal when defender Jon Holloway rose at the back post to head home under pressure. City did well to take the pace out of the game after that and it was only towards the end of the half that King's Lynn looked dangerous.

The visitors continued to improve in the second half and City were soon on the back foot as the Linnets created, and wasted, a series of chances to equalise. Substitute Michael Frew was the chief culprit. An air-kick clearance from Holland presented him with a great chance on 58 minutes, but his attempted lob was far too casual and drifted harmlessly wide. Frew then should really have torn the net out with a diving header from a wicked Matt O'Halloran cross that he completely failed to connect with and the on-rushing Adam Smith blasted over with the goal at his mercy. Evans produced another fingertip save to deny O'Halloran on 66 minutes, but then Frew redeemed himself with a great strike to finally beat the City No 1. After jinking past two City defenders on the left, he cut back inside and fired a great curling effort into the top-right corner. City responded by throwing on super-sub Craig Davidge and the game's momentum swung back immediately. The young winger seemed to canter past a tired and tortured Linnets defence and City laid siege to Marshall's goal as the game drew to a close. Nat Pepperell really should have opened his City account after meeting a Davidge cross three yards out, only to head it well over. Holland smashed a shot against the post with a curling strike near the end of normal time, but King's Lynn held on for a deserved draw.