FINAL SCORE

Bath City suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since the opening two matches of the season as they were made to pay for an abject opening to their match at Concord Rangers. Just 120 seconds in Concord led when Jack Batten lost concentration and mishit a Danny Green cross to Alex Wall, who was never going to miss, poking home from six yards. The quickfire second followws a Romans corner, Frankie Artus was robbed midway inside his own half by Sam Blackman, who found Green. With City hopelessly exposed, he picked out Wall, who stayed onside and gleefully stroked past Ryan Clarke from 18 yards. For City, Adam Mann drilled a shot narrowly wide with Sam Beasant scrambling, and the glovesman had his palms stung by Freddie Hinds’ effort when the had danced around the Beachboys’ defence and also thwarted Andy Watkins and James Morton. Just before the interval Rangers survived vociferous penalty appeals. Mann’s corner was glanced goalwards by Artus and Watkins’ attempts to bundle in at the far post went awry, Blackman appearing to control with his arm. The home side nearly had a third soon after when Joan Luque expertly brought down a looping ball before shooting just wide. Shaw cleared off the line when Hinds’ cute attempted finish had Beasant beaten, before the fullback sent in a hanging cross which Blackman headed over. Ryan Brunt was sent on as a target man for Watkins, and only a splendid parry from Beasant thwarted an immediate impact. After Morton’s strike was deflected just wide, Mann’s corner was met by Brunt, but the Concord custodian somehow got enough on his close range header. Rangers player-assistant boss Jack Midson forced Clarke into a smart tip-over, the same man heading over well-placed when the impressive Ali Abdulla picked him. A marvellous Blackman jinking run saw him tie City in knots, but Clarke wasn’t left mesmerised, diving at the midfielder’s feet to snuff out the danger. With the game just in reach, a free-kick saw Bath throw bodies forward. Their 370-minute away goal drought ended with Rigg brilliantly looping Mann’s delivery over Beasant from 15 yards. There was still time for more drama. Hinds found space wide, sent in a perfect delivery for Brunt, six yards out, but he got his angles wrong, heading well off target when Concord Rangers: Beasant, Popo (Pollock 55), Shaw, Abdulla, Essam, Sterling, Green (Gardner 63), Blackman, Wall, Midson, Luque (Topley 75). Subs not used: Froud, Hunt. Bath City: Clarke, Straker, Batten, Artus (Stearn 74), Watkins (Brunt 64), Hinds, Mann, Cundy, Morton, Smith (Rigg HT), Davies. Subs not used: Amankwaah, Wiles-richards. Referee: David Spain. Chronicle star man: Freddie Hinds.