British Gas Business Football League Premier Division
Wednesday 11 April 2007 - Northwood Park - kick off 3.00pm
half-time: 0-0 result: D1-1 attendance: 191
team: Evans, Simpson, Rollo (c), Coupe, Holland, Harris, Hogg, Rogers (Prosser 70), Paul (Edwards 55), S Jones, Green (Davidge 89) subs not used: G Jones, Clarke.
man of the match: Adie Harris
scorers: Hogg (pen 78)
bookings: none
officials: n/a
league position: 1st form: WWWLWD next match: Maidenhead (H)
Report taken from by Stephen Ware

Lewis Hogg kept alive Bath City's hopes of clinching the British Gas Business Premier Division title at Twerton Park on Saturday as his late penalty snatched a point in a 1-1 draw at struggling Northwood. A makeshift City side missing five regular first teamers found life hard at Cheshunt Avenue and in the end were grateful to leave with a share of the spoils. "We are happy with a point after the way the game panned out," admitted City boss John Relish. "It was a bit of a shock to concede that goal, because we pride ourselves on defending set pieces well. We switched off for a second and it cost us. We reacted well to that setback, built up a head of steam and put them under severe pressure. But, to be fair to them, I always felt they were sharp up front and they caused us a lot more problems than a lot of other teams in the league. After going 1-0 down, it's a point gained. "We are starting to feel the pinch with all our injuries. Chris Holland had blurred vision at half-time, but we decided to keep him on because he is so valuable from set pieces. We're a bit nearer now and if one result goes for us on Saturday, it could be ours." The result means City need just six more points from their remaining four matches to be sure of clinching the championship crown, though they will be promoted at the weekend if they beat Maidenhead and Team Bath lose.

Rock bottom Northwood belied their lowly league position, matching patched-up City for long periods and can count themselves unlucky not to have claimed the three points vital to their survival hopes. Dwane Williams sent a dipping shot wide for the hosts in the very first minute, but 60 seconds later City had an equally good opportunity when Hogg nearly wriggled free of two defenders in the penalty area. Seven minutes after that, Adie Harris saw his hooked effort fall wide of Bill Fishenden's upright and the Woods keeper spilled a well-struck 20-yard effort from Martin Paul shortly after that. Paul and Scott Rogers both narrowly failed to get on the end of Mike Green's excellent cross on the 27-minute mark as City struggled to break down their lowly opponents. Northwood were reduced to launching long balls forward where any that drifted beyond the defence were comfortably mopped up by City stopper Paul Evans. As the interval approached, City had weak appeals for a penalty turned down when Rogers tumbled in the box, before they created their best two opportunities of the half. Prolific defender Chris Holland headed a Green corner into the arms of Fishenden on the stroke of half-time before the home No 1 did well to hold on to a rasping Green shot from distance.

In a flurry of early second-half corners for the home side, Danny Murphy lashed wide before captain Wayne Carter fired through a crowded penalty area past Evans to give the basement boys an unlikely lead after 48 minutes. Paul then drilled wide, Green thumped the post and Ryan Tackley was forced into a desperate clearance after Fishenden parried Paul's shot as City responded. Relish brought front pair Darren Edwards and Matt Prosser on in place of Rogers and Paul, but it was the Woods who seemed to grow in confidence with Jerome Hall and Harry Hunt impressing. With 12 minutes remaining, City were handed a life-line when Matt Coupe's shot was deemed to have struck a Northwood arm inside the area and Hogg kept his cool to convert from the spot. Murphy had a late chance to win it for Northwood when he poked a free kick wide, but Edwards could also have secured the points had he not nodded Prosser's centre over at the death.