Recap

Report

Goals at either end of the contest condemned the Peacocks to a fifth consecutive defeat and deepen their relegation worries. Frustratingly in between those early and late goals, the hosts competed well and commanded large parts of the second half, but lack of a cutting edge meant City soaked up everything before adding a stoppage time second.

The home side showed two changes from the Bad Friday game at Weston, with Seb Bolton and Rabby Tabu Minzamba replacing Ross Stearn and Marcus Day, and things hadn’t appeared to improve when Town found themselves trailing with just two and a half minutes played. City centre half Jack Batten swung forward a diagonal ball which located Cody Cooke making a run on the left side of the box and after controlling with his left foot his other one drove home the finish inside Lloyd Irish’s right-hand post. The shell-shocked Peacocks nearly conceded again with less than ten minutes on the clock, Elliott Frear seizing on some less than decisive defending to rattle the outside of the post with a shot from a narrow angle.

City continued their early dominance when Dan Hayfield found the side netting from Frear’s corner before the home side posted their first attempt midway through the half when Bristol City loanee Ben Acey’s impromptu strike dropped wide of the far post. Town were starting to warm to the task but were reminded of the threat posed by the Romans’ strikeforce when 16 goal Scott Wilson, now trailing Cooke by one in the scoring charts, rode a couple of defensive challenges to prod his effort straight at Irish.

The remainder of the half saw the Peacocks conjure up a number of half chances but couldn’t get one to stick. Zac Bell’s long throw was headed clear to Chamberlain who drilled just over the top from the edge of the box while the impressive Acey twice got past former Town keeper Will Buse but was firstly pushed wide and had his shot blocked before Callum Dolman’s pass set him free, but he ran the ball out of play as he rounded Buse. Further strikes from Acey and Minzamba soared over the top before Bell latched onto Dan Ball’s clearance during stoppage time, only to see his attempted lob blocked by Buse.

The second half developed into a curious affair. With their single goal advantage, City seemed to have no great desire to add to their haul while Town showed plenty of endeavour pushing forward, with the midfield trio of Acey, Dolman and Minzamba very much at the fore supported outside by Bell and Chamberlain. For all their intent though, the Peacocks could not find a breakthrough, Man of the Match Acey moving in from the left to test the reactions of Buse with a low strike and sending another shot wide while Dolman saw his effort blocked. Deliveries continued at regular intervals into the area, but Bath were defending solidly and when Town did get a sniff Buse was there, making a fine stop on the line when Cameron Evans got his head on a Chamberlain cross. What appeared to be a clearcut penalty was also denied when Minzamba tried to burrow through the middle but went down under a City sandwich. Referee Pearson wasn’t interested though.

Stearn took over from Nat Jarvis with just over ten minutes to go as Town kept pressing, a lovely Chamberlain cutback failing to pick out a teammate in the middle. Evander Grubb replaced Minzamba as five minutes of added time began before City wrapped up the points. After a late free kick had looped off the Taunton wall, the visitors broke away with the five added minutes played and Jack Bates cut inside from the left to fire home into the far corner from 18 yards. An improved performance but without any reward for it and with results elsewhere not falling their way this time, the Peacocks drop further into the mire.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Lloyd Irish, Zac Bell, Dan Ball, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James (captain), Nat Jarvis (Ross Stearn 77) , Ben Acey, Rabby Tabu Minzamba (Evander Grubb 90+1), Cameron Evans, Callum Dolman, Seb Bolton. Unused subs: Marcus Day, Jaden Brown

Bath: Will Buse, Joe Raynes (captain), Danny Greenslade, Jordan Dyer, Jack Batten, Dan Hayfield, Cody Cooke, Tom Smith, Elliott Frear (Jack Bates 65), Duncan Idehen, Scott Wilson (Isaac Vassell 79). Unused subs: Louis Sweeten, James Alabi

 Officials

Referee: Stacey Pearson (Bristol)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Paul Collier (Bristol)
Referee’s Assistant 2: William Payne (Bristol)

Attendance

1059

Reaction

“I’m pleased with a lot of things today, I think the reaction after Friday was superb………” watch Rob Dray’s match reaction on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

Match highlights can be seen on Peacocks TV HERE

Photos

Match photos from club photographers Debbie Gould can be viewed HERE and Darren Harris HERE

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance MOM

Ben Acey receives the Taunton Town Man Of The Match award from the club’s Social Media Manager Max Fournier

Many Thanks To Our Match Sponsors

Many Thanks To Our Match Mascots 

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