Errea Cup 3rd Round
Tuesday 16 January 2007 - The Hand Stadium - kick off 7.45pm

half-time: 1-0

result: W1-0

attendance: 154

team:	Quelch, Green, Rollo (c) (G Jones 52), Tyers, Simpson, Clarke, Davidge, Harris, Walsh, Partridge (Edwards 45), McKeever (Hogg 63). subs not used: S Jones, Rogers.
man of the match:	Eddie Quelch
scorers:	Walsh (23)
bookings:	none
officials:	I Hamilton

league position: n/a

form: LLWWWW

next match: Gloucester (A)

Report taken from

by Richard Gadsby

It may be a meaningless competition, but Bath City can still take plenty of positives from their deserved Errea Cup third-round victory over Clevedon at the Hand Stadium last night. Aside from banishing the memories of a 3-0 defeat earlier in the season, where City's lack of pace at the back was woefully exposed, one or two performances from the club's fringe players must have caught the eye of boss John Relish. Phillip Walsh was probably the biggest winner of the night. City's third-choice striker did his first-team chances no harm at all with a typically tireless performance which also showed signs of some good ball control and scored the all-important goal. Youth-teamer Adam Tyers also looks like a useful find and could well be playing Southern League football in the next few seasons.

The game itself also provided a few sparks of enjoyment, although it will hardly live long in the memory. The opening stages were more frenetic than exciting and when the opening goal did come, it was more by luck than judgement. An under-hit back-pass from ex-City defender Mike Trought left keeper Danny Greaves needing his best Jason Gardener impression to beat Walsh to the ball. He just made it, but the relentless Walsh was on top of him in an instant and the far-from-convincing clearance cannoned off the striker's boot and flew into the net. City had the better of the rest of the half, but Clevedon had a great chance to equalise five minutes later when Andy Gurney put a free header well over the bar from five yards.

Ironically, the second half provided no goals but was more entertaining. Mike Green set the tone with a cracking run and shot from 25 yards that Greaves did well to smother at the second attempt. For their part, Clevedon never really looked like scoring, but Gurney came as close as anyone when his 25-yard effort hit the outside of the post. With four minutes to go, young keeper Eddie Quelch produced an excellent tip over from a close-range Hanin Romdhane header. Darren Edwards had a great chance to wrap up the win after racing onto Hogg's though ball, but was denied by a great last-ditch tackle from Billy Clark. It was all over a few minutes later and City will now travel to Tiverton in the fourth round next Tuesday night.