Bath City 0-1 Bristol Rovers
Pre-season fixture, Twerton Park, Saturday 13 July 2024
Chris Martin’s late finish was the difference as Bristol Rovers secured a 1-0 pre-season victory away at Bath City.
The 35-year-old took a delightful touch before tucking in at the near post for the only goal of the game on 81 minutes at Twerton Park.
Both sides had gone close earlier in Saturday’s encounter, with Luke McCormick seeing a fine finish ruled out for offside in the first half while Scott Wilson hit the woodwork for the Romans.
The intent was clear from the opening whistle as captain James Wilson found Joel Senior on the wing. The full-back’s ball into Isaac Hutchinson was excellent but the midifelder’s shot was blocked.
Ewen Clark fired a free-kick over the bar before Rovers had the ball in the back of the net on 14 minutes, only for McCormick’s low finish to be ruled out for offside.
Bryant Bilongo tested Harvey Wiles-Richards with his right foot while Brown’s delightful dinked effort fell just the wrong side of the bar.
Rovers continued to press and went even closer as the first-half continued. Kamil Conteh forced Harvey Wiles-Richards into a smart save, stinging the shot-stopper’s hands with a fierce effort, before even more great work by Senior opened up a big chance for the Gas.
The full-back’s cross was pinpoint but McCormick could only glance his header wide.
As with the Melksham Town pre-season outing, Matt Taylor opted to completely change the XI at the interval with debuts in Rovers colours for Michael Forbes and Josh Griffiths.
Ten minutes into the second half, Wilson registered Bath’s best chance of the match with a low header that left Griffiths stranded. The ball hit the base of the post.
Ollie Dewsbury impressed from the bench in last Friday’s win at Melksham Town, and the 16-year-old went close to a second goal in as many outings when his effort from the edge of the area was dragged just wide.
Jerry Lawrence also went close with a header from close range, but it was the experienced Martin who grabbed the match-winning goal nine minutes from time.
A deep cross into the Bath City area was well controlled by Martin, who coolly slotted his finish in at the near post to give the Gas the late lead.
It would prove to be the difference in a tightly-contested pre-season outing, with the Gas claiming their second pre-season win in as many games.
Bath City: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Grimes, Parselle © (Player C 85), Wanjau-Smith (Sweeten 64), Humphrey-Ewers, Clark, Frear (Player B 60), Wilson, Player A
Subs not used: Sardo, Player D, Morgan
Bristol Rovers: Ward (Griffiths 46), Senior (Leipus 46), Moore (Lawrence 46), Wilson (Ellison 46), Mola (Forbes 46), Hutchinson (Thomas 46), Brown (Martin 46), Conteh (Edwards 46_, McCormick (Dewsbury 46), Bilongo (Sinclair 46), Shaw (Ward 46)
Goals: Martin 81
Booked: Edwards, Forbes, Ellison
Attendance: 1,908
