Page 34 - Bath City v Havant & Waterlooville - Tuesday 19 January 2021 - VNLS (v2)

LOOKING BACK 1989/90 CONTINUED

There are some grounds where City just do not do So arguably defeat would be a more serious blow for
well, and in recent times, one of those has been City than for Dover.
Gosport Borough, where, before last season’s FA John Freegard’s injury meant that he was only fit
Trophy replay win, their record has been pretty dire. enough to take a place on the bench, Dave Singleton
It will probably not come as a surprise then that their continuing to deputise for him in attack, but Paul
visit there in December 1989 wasn’t anything to write Randall was passed fit having shaken off a knock he
home about. had suffered against Yate.
Having failed to win at Bromsgrove earlier in the Perhaps not surprisingly, the first half was a very
week, City were still second in the table a point behind cagey affair, both sides being only too aware of
Dover, while Gosport were bottom with just three wins the importance of the game to take any real risks.
from eighteen games and only having scored once in Chances were few and far between, Dover arguably
their previous five home games. The only change from having the best, twice being thwarted by Jim Preston
the team that had drawn at Bromsgrove saw Dave in the City goal, although City did have a passable
Singleton replacing John Freegard, who was out with appeal for a penalty turned down.
a back injury, and he almost put City ahead as early
as the 3rd minute. The rest of the first half saw City City upped the tempo at the start of the second half,
totally on top, and Paul Randall could easily have had Paul Randall and Dave Singleton both having shots
a hat-trick, missing chances that he would have put saved by Munden in the Dover goal before Gary
away with ease on another day. Smart broke the deadlock in the 67th minute with a
The second half continued in a similar vein, Paul goal worthy of settling any top of the table clash. The
ball ran loose from Rob Cousins to Gary Smart who
Randall and Dave Singleton again both missing played a superb one-two with Paul Randall on the
presentable chances before the latter forced the home edge of the box, before curling an unstoppable shot
keeper into a stunning save with a quarter of an hour into the right hand corner of the net.
to go. Jim Preston in the City goal probably had his
quietest game of the season, but he had to stay alert The goal spurred Dover into action, and they had a
to prevent a disappointing afternoon turning into a chance to equalise in the last minute of normal time,
disastrous one as City recorded their second successive Foley shooting over an open goal after Jim Preston had
goalless draw in the league, while Dover were winning punched a free kick straight to him. City survived three
2-0 at home to Burton to extend their lead at the top. minutes of added time to secure an important victory
which took them back into pole position and gave their
City completed a hectic spell of five games in ten days fans in the season best crowd of 859 an early present.
with the visit of Yate to Twerton Park for the second
leg of their league cup tie, City holding a two goal LES BINGHAM
advantage from the first leg.
The game was a fairly low key affair with Yate never
looking like making up the deficit and there was
little action to speak of in the first half, although Paul
Randall and Gary Smart both had half chances. The
deadlock was broken six minutes into the second half
when Keith Brown headed home a Chris Smith cross
to put City ahead. This appeared to inspire Yate and
they equalised nine minutes later when Bobby Brown
– who had scored the goal that won City the Southern
League Cup against Yeovil back in 1979 – rolled
back the years with a pinpoint cross for Iddles to head
past Jim Preston. That was the end of Yate’s resistance
though, City having a number of chances before Dave
Singleton scored in the last minute to make it 2-1 on
the night and 6-3 on aggregate.
City’s last game before Christmas 1989 saw the visit of
leaders Dover to a freezing Twerton Park,
the prize for the winners being to celebrate the festive
season on top of the table. Their records going into the
game were:
Dover P18 W13 D2 L3 F34 A18 Pts 41
City P19 W11 D5 L3 F30 A15 Pts 38
The Programme from the 0-0 draw with Gosport
Borough at Privett Park in December 1989.
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