Safety claims are disputed

Bath City officials have disputed claims from Havant & Waterlooville that they weren’t provided with adequate changing room facilities at Twerton Park.

Hawks boss Paul Doswell commented that he had to address his players in a confined area, during and after the fixture nine days ago, which Bath won 2-1.

The club issued a statement on Friday to defend the allegations from the visiting manager: “Bath City would like to refute the comment made by the Havant & Waterlooville FC manager that, at our match on Tuesday 19th January, they ‘were put in a very small dressing room with 19 players in that dressing room.’

“In accordance with National League guidance, we have provided the whole dressing room area – home and away changing room, physio and match officials’ room – to the away side in every match played at Twerton Park since

July. In order to provide this, we use our upstairs rooms for the home team and match officials.

“We believe it’s important to make clear we place great importance in health & safety and have done everything possible to make Twerton Park as safe as we can in the current circumstances.”

In response, City manager Jerry Gill tweeted: “Our football club always professional and have been so thorough in ensuring Covid protocols are adhered to for training and importantly games at Twerton Park.”

It was Havant & Waterlooville’s second visit to Twerton Park this season, having used the same facilities for a 3-0 FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round win in October.

They are one of ten teams to use both dressing rooms since last July in order to adhere to social distance guidelines, while Bath use the Moore Stephens Lounge situated underneath the main stand.