LINK HERE by Jon Flynn courtesy Football Exclusives
Late drama at Twerton Park warmed up what Bath City manager Lee Howells called “a frustrating 90 minutes” on a cold afternoon in Somerset.
An injury time equaliser from second half substitute Josh Low, gave Bath City a share of the points, after Andrew Watkins had given Truro the lead in the 85th minute.
The game started very slowly, with both midfield’s conceding possession in the opponents half very easily and not looking like threatening the other teams goal.
Bath had the first chance of the game from a deep cross into the box from left back Aaron Brown, Truro City's Player/Manager Lee Hodges was unable to control and Bath's striker Elliot Chamberlain pounced on the loose ball, but only managed to hit the keeper Luke Payne, with the shot from a tight angle.
Both teams kept giving away possession deep into the first half, with neither side seeming to have the killer pass to be able to have a chance on goal.
Truro's striker Andrew Watkins twice nearly got on to long balls from defender Martin Watts, but Dan Ball for Bath, was more than capable of getting back and clearing the danger.
On the half hour mark Truro got the first real chance of the game, with a free-kick just left of centre on the edge of the Bath penalty area, from a foul by Adam Connolly. Les Afful took the kick, which curled round the wall, but was well saved by Jason Mellor and cleared by Kerry Morgan.
Bath enjoyed more of the possession towards the end of the first half, but never looked like breaking down a well organized Truro back four. Any balls that Bath did eventually get into the box were always well clear by one of the Cornish sides centre backs.
After half-time, Bath showed a lot more tempo to their game and quicker passing play between the players, this seemed to push Truro deeper and deeper into their own half.
Two early appeals for penalties were turned down by referee Barry Holderness, the first, a claim of handball against Hodges from and volley from Elliott Chamberlain, and the second, a good bit a build up play by Simpson and Keats put Chris Allen through on goal, only for Ben Gerring to barge him over in the area.
Bath had most of the second half possession, but just like the first they couldn't find a way through the Truro defence.
Into the last ten minutes of the game and with (Bath) fans starting to leave the game started to liven up, first through Elliott Chamberlain, who ran onto an Aaron Brown pass down the left, and unleashed a cross-come shot that clipped the top of the Truro crossbar.
Then as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, Bath defender Dan Ball got his positioning all wrong under a long ball from Truro captain Marcus Martin and allowed Watkins volley in first time from 30 yards past a helpless Jason Mellor, to put Truro one up in the game.
Straight from the kick off Bath went up the other end and found Chamberlain unmarked in the penalty area. He curled a shot underneath Luke Payne, only to have it cleared off the line by Paul Kendall.
As the game went into its third minute of injury time, Bath got their equaliser, courtesy of an Aaron Brown long throw from the left. Bath's target man Charlie Griffin headed the ball towards the back post, where Josh Low smashed the ball in to the back of the net.
The scores were equal again and the fans who had stayed couldn't believe the last five minutes of this game.
Bath City: Mellor, Simpson, Brown, Preece, Jones, Ball, Connolly(Canham 68), Keats, Allen(Griffin 77), Chamberlain, Morgan(Low 63). subs not used Walker, Norris.
Truro City: Payne, Hodges, Watts(Williams 30), Gerring, Kendall, Broad, Cooke, Martin, Hayles(Wright 55), Watkins, Afful. subs not used Hall, Hider.
Written by Jon Flynn - @jonflynny
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