British Gas Business Football League Premier Division
Saturday 27 January 2007 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm
half-time: 1-0 result: W1-0 attendance: 733
team: Evans, Simpson, Rollo (c), G Jones, Holland, S Jones, Rogers, Hogg, Edwards, Partridge (Walsh 83), McKeever. subs not used: Coupe, Harris, Davidge, Green.
man of the match: Darren Edwards
scorers: Edwards (21)
bookings: none
officials: A Bennett (Okehampton), P Humphrey (Swindon), S Higgins (Westbury)
league position: 1st form: WWWWLW next match: Mangotsfield (H)
Report taken from by Stephen Ware

The relief was tangible as John Relish punched the air at the final whistle of Bath City's 1-0 win over Hemel Hempstead Town. City remain three points clear at the top of the BGB Premier Division table following a result which, in truth, should never have been so close. Relish's men dominated the first half, but had only Darren Edwards' 21st-minute goal to show for their efforts and played the second half with a nervousness they will need to overcome if they are to retain top spot and clinch promotion in April.

City started the match purposefully, forcing five corners in the opening five minutes, and they nearly opened the scoring after just 16 seconds when Lewis Hogg turned in a Mark McKeever cross, only to be denied by the linesman's flag. Edwards was also close to making the breakthrough when he burst through on eight minutes as the hosts dominated the early exchanges. Visiting keeper Steve Smith spilled a fizzing Lewis Hogg cross and Edwards narrowly failed to turn in the loose ball as City continued to press. And on 21 minutes they got the goal their persistent pressure deserved as Edwards unleashed a dipping 25-yard volley that looped over Smith and into the back of the net. Edwards almost doubled the lead on the half-hour mark when Scott Rogers back-heeled exquisitely into his path and his side-footed effort was blocked by Charlie Mapes. But Hemel forced their way back into the match in the closing stages of the first half, almost equalising on 33 minutes as Paul Evans was forced into a sprawling one-hand save to repel Dean Brennan's low header. Gary Sippets should have done better than lob over when he found himself through on goal, but City had a glorious chance to grab a second three minutes before the interval. Edwards was a constant threat up front and his good work down the left presented Hogg with a free header six yards out that he powered over.

City carried their first-half momentum into the second period as Scott Partridge narrowly failed to get on the end of a Steve Jones centre moments after the restart and Edwards shot tamely at Smith following a penetrating midfield run from Hogg. Partridge narrowly failed to cut the ball back to strike partner Edwards before the former Cardiff man turned sharply on the edge of the box and curled a shot wide. Hogg blazed over after 70 minutes of a tense second half in which City seemed content to conserve their slender lead. Hemel were wrongly awarded a throw with five minutes remaining and that sparked a spell of late pressure that had City sweating. But they weathered the storm to claim a precious three points and remain on course to claim a place in Nationwide South next season.