FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 21 October 2006 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm
half-time: 1-0 result: W2-1 attendance: 363
team: Evans, Rollo (c), Simpson, Coupe, S Jones, Green, Davidge (Pritchard 85), Rogers, Zarczynski, Partridge, McKeever (Phillips 77). subs not used: York, Hogg.
man of the match: Arek Zarczynski
scorers: Zarczynski (42,72)
bookings: Rogers (11)
officials: C Williams (Cheltenham), A Matthews (Kings Stanley), S Oakley (Cheltenham)
league position: n/a form: dLWLDW next match: tbc
Report taken from by Richard Gadsby

Bath City finally buried the Twerton Park jinx by snatching their first home win of the season at the ninth attempt, although at times they seemed determined to make it into double figures. If they had not won their easiest home game of the season, there would have been serious questions raised, but City's quality shone through in the end, especially in the second half when they finally put some good moves together. Until then, they were forced to ride their luck following a half-hearted first- half performance that at times bordered on lazy.

The visitors attacked City right from the start and Lee Davis and Kevin Slack had already gone close when John Hills' deflected effort hit the post with less than ten minutes played. Sluggish City hardly seemed interested until five minutes from the break when they finally upped the tempo. Arek Zarczynski had already wasted two great chances when he finally opened the scoring with a powerful header from a great run and cross from the lively Craig Davidge.

Bishop's Cleeve were unlucky to trail at the break, but then the curse of Twerton Park claimed one final City victim. A harmless-looking through ball from the visitors was set to be dealt with easily by Sekani Simpson when keeper Paul Evans bafflingly decided to race out of his area to make an unnecessary clearance. Simpson easily got there before him and, under pressure with no keeper to roll back to, the defender could only clear as far as Jon Curtis. With Evans racing back to his line, Curtis rolled a low 40-yard shot into the middle of the net to leave the keeper clutching his head. The goal seemed to shake City out of their stupor and it was one-way traffic for the rest of the game. Just two minutes after the equaliser, Scott Rogers cracked the underside of the crossbar after latching on to a loose ball 14 yards out. Zarczynski missed another sitter just after and then Davidge hit the bar with a fierce 20-yard drive after cutting in from the right. The goal finally came following good work from Scott Partridge on the right. His cross found Zarczynski, who controlled the ball with his first touch before blasting home from close range with his second. City had chances to wrap it up with Partridge coming close twice and Zarczynski shooting wide at the near post just two yards out, but the home side never looked like letting their lead slip.