Saturday 17 September 2005 - The New Eyrie - kick off 3.00pm Southern League Premier Division

Report taken from by Richard Gadsby

The game started scrappily but City began the brighter and soon took control of the half. A good ball from Scott Partridge found Tony Bird just outside the box on the touchline after 11 minutes. Bird beat two players and laid a great ball off for Partridge, but his shot was charged down by the defence. A goalmouth scramble ensued but when the ball fell to Partridge just outside the six-yard box he blasted high and wide. A minute later, Andy Sandell surged out of his own half to blast a shot from 25 yards which fizzed just over the crossbar. City were linking up well with Bird playing a pivotal creative role for the team from Twerton. First the Welshman picked out Jim Rollo with a long cross on the right which the winger just failed to keep in. Then, a quickly taken free kick almost found Sandell unmarked on the edge of the box but the winger's first touch let him down. On 30 minutes, Partridge had an effort cleared off the line from close range following a corner. A minute later, Bird raced clear after selling his man with a wonderful feint but passed, poorly, to Partridge when it seemed easier to go for goal. Rene Howe flashed a shot wide for the home side from the counter-attack in Bedford's only foray of the half. And when Sandell's low drive from the edge of the box was brilliantly saved by Ian Brown it looked like it was going to be another frustrating afternoon for City. That feeling was compounded, literally, on the stroke of half-time, when a free-kick deep in Bedford's half found Steve Jones on the edge of the box. Just as the right-back's foot connected with the ball the referee blew for the break and the shot flew into the net. City players surrounded the referee in protest but the man in black was unmoved and he trudged off the field with the Twerton Park faithful baying from the stands.

City were not quite so sharp in the second-half but still looked the better side and continued to create chances. A good cross from Graeme Power found Sandell in the box after 56 minutes, but his header was a nice height for the keeper who saved to his left. Ten minutes later, and against the run of play, Bedford scored. A long ball out of defence was flicked on by Derwayne Stupple and Rob Miller ran through the defence to slot past the onrushing Mark Bryant. The goal shocked City and Bedford started to apply more pressure as the half wore on. The home-side almost made it 2-0 when a similar situation to the goal saw Craig Rydehead break through but Bryant saved bravely at the winger's feet. Time was running out for City as they searched for an equaliser but with a minute to go, they were thrown a lifeline. A Bird shot was palmed away to Partridge on the six-yard box but before the striker could shoot he was upended by Bedford's Lee Howarth for a penalty. Partridge's spot-kick was well-saved by Brown and then the striker collided with Martin Paul as the pair tried to head in the rebound to cap a miserable day for Bath.