Page 34 - Bath City v Swindon Supermarine - Saturday 19 December 2020 - FA Trophy 3rd Round

LOOKING BACK 1989/90 CONTINUED

After their long trip to Dover, City had a rare midweek time 3-0 ahead. They scored twice more in the second
off to prepare for a tricky FA Cup 4th Qualifying half for a resounding 5-0 win, but the game gave
Round tie at Poole, in what was their fifth different George Rooney the chance to look at some of the
competition that season. fringe players in action.
The game at Poole was played in a strong wind and A busy week saw City in action again just two days
driving rain which City had in their faces for the first after the Worcester game, this time a 3rd Round Welsh
half, but it didn’t stop them taking the lead in the 34th Cup tie taking them to Midland Division Barry Town,
minute, Paul Randall crossing for John Freegard to where they had suffered an embarrassing FA Cup
head home. They couldn’t hold on to the lead until half defeat 10 years earlier. Gary Smart put a full strength
time though, Coombes equalising from a corner in the City ahead in the 35th minute after Keith Brown’s shot
44th minute. had been saved, but Barry equalised two minutes
City were back in front four minutes into the second before the interval.
half, Coombes again on target from a corner, but The second half saw Barry well on top, goals in the
unfortunately for him and Poole it was past his own 61st and 68th minutes putting them 3-1 ahead before
keeper after a goalmouth scramble. They had a City got a ‘consolation’ with two minutes left. At the
couple of opportunities to put the game out of Poole’s time, that second goal was recorded as being an own
reach, Paul Randall having a penalty saved and John goal, but some weeks later and after much discussion it
Freegard’s chip just clearing the bar, before the home was eventually credited to Paul Randall.
side forced a replay with a goal five minutes from time. With the league being the priority and the
With the draw for the 1st Round being made on the approaching Fulham game, I doubt that City were
Monday, by the time the replay came around, City too disappointed at going out of what would be
and Poole knew that the prize for the winners was a considered two minor cup competitions.
home tie against Fulham. City were forced into one
change, Tony Ricketts having a recurrence of his injury LES BINGHAM
with Paul Stevens again moving into central defence
and Phil Underhill coming back in at right-back.
A season best crowd of 1,232 saw City make their
intentions clear from the outset and it was no surprise
when they took the lead in the 13th minute, Gary
Smart’s corner being cleared only as far as Dave
Palmer, who smashed the ball home from all of 30
yards. They doubled their lead sixteen minutes later,
John Freegard scoring after Chris Smith’s cross had
been flicked on to him. Poole had no answer to a
rampant City who had numerous chances to extend
their lead in the second half, but had to wait until the
last minute, when as in the first game, John Freegard
scored from a Paul Randall cross.
The Fulham game wasn’t until the third weekend of
November, and City had five games to play before
then. The first of these saw them make another trip
to Kent for a league game with a visit to mid-table
Ashford. City started strongly and John Freegard
deservedly put them ahead in the 11th minute, but in
the second half they found themselves under pressure
as Ashford searched for an equaliser before Gary
Smart made the game safe with just eight minutes left.
Having lost their 100% record against City two weeks
before, Dover suffered their third defeat in a row at
VS Rugby, enabling City to take over at the top of the
table.
Two days later, City travelled to Worcester for a 2nd
Round Clubcall Cup tie, where with so many games
coming up, they fielded just five first-team players
against a full strength home side. Worcester took the
lead as early as the 12th minute and went in at half

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