Match-winner Rigg is loving life at Twerton
Sean Rigg has no regrets about his decision to step away from full-time football in favour of combining a new career with featuring for Bath City. The 29-year-old hit the headlines in February when he chose to depart League 2 Newport County in favour of working towards his passion as a tattoo artist. As part of that change, he joined the Romans in National League South, where, Rigg says, he is enjoying his football again. “I’m loving it,” he told the Chronicle. “Enjoying every minute. “Obviously there were people that thought it was too early for me to drop out of the league, but it just felt right for myself and I’m delighted to have made that decision. “I’m enjoying it, I’m enjoying my tattooing as well; it all goes hand in hand and works well. “That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day, having fun and enjoying it.” Rigg was speaking after bagging the all important goal in City’s first win of the season at Hampton & Richmond Borough. Though they toiled somewhat, particualrly in the first period when Hampton and frontman Chris Dickson wasted a whole host of chances, Rigg’s goal just past the hour and a determined defensive rearguard won the day. Rigg recalled: “Obviously it was not a great start first half. The first five mintues we came out fast and then it kind of just went. They got on top, they did beat us up a little bit in areas, and it was all a bit quiet. “We went in at half-time, had a good talk, talked through what we needed to change, then came out and battled in the second half, and the result followed.” On his goal, cutting in from the left before unleashing a piledriver into the far corner, Rigg added: “My first thought was just to try and get on the ball, get at him and head towards the box, maybe win a penalty, get at him, try and get a shot off. “He just kept backing off, so it gave me the chance to gain some momentum, cut inside and my shot off.” The Romans were indebted to goalkeeper Ryan Clarke, who pulled off storming saves either side of the interval and took control in the closing stages, as Hampton sought their leveller. The experience he, and many of the City squad, bring makes for a good formula “Ryan’s played magnificent today, pulled off some amazing saves and kept us in it at times,” Rigg said. “You’ve got to be thankful for Clarkey for today as well, not just my goal. “It definitely helps having experience. Clubs I’ve been at before where we’ve had promotions, there’s been a good mix of experience and young. “It does go a long way, especially when you’re one-up and it’s the last 20 minutes of the game, your game management is really important. “It showed today.” Beforehand, City had been pointless after an up and down opening day defeat to Dartford, and then last Tuesday’s agonising defeat at Torquay United. But beating Hampton now means any feeling of pressure has been cast aside and the squad can now focus on playing the football they want. “If it had gone three games without a win,” Rigg said. “It’s almost like you’re chasing a win then. “The further it goes on the more difficult it gets. “Now we’ve got the three points on the board we can relax a bit, keep playing good football and getting some more wins.” He added: “All three games I think we could have had three points. “Dartford, we’re 1-0 up and they got the late penalty which was very disappointing, I think we tired towards the end and that played a part in it. “Then Torquay we played them off the park, played really well and played good football, then they just get a smash and grab for three points. “That was really disappointing, but we took positives from that. “I think maybe we were a little bit tired coming into today from Tuesday night, but it’s a game where we’ve not played well and got the win. “Sometimes that’s what it comes down to, it’s good to get three points on the board and get yourself rolling.”