Much-changed Dartford up first for Romans this season
Dartford will be the first visitors to Twerton Park on Saturday in an eagerly anticipated season opener.
Now under the stewardship of Alan Dowson, the Darts will be hoping to finally checkout of this division having missed out in the National League South play-offs three times in the last five completed campaigns.
Last year’s Eliminator loss on penalties to Chippenham Town saw the Kent side part company with Steve King and replace him with Dowson, who led Woking to promotion from the division in 2019.
“They’ll be one of the favourites in the league with a manager in Alan Dowson who knows this league inside out,” said Bath City boss Jerry Gill. “I’m excited to see what they’re going to bring.
“We’ll put out a game plan, we know we have to be perfect in our preparation.”
Gill sent scout Jon Haile to Essex on Saturday to keep tabs on Dartford, who lost their final pre-season friendly at Isthmian Premier side Canvey Island. Connor Hubble’s 79th-minute free-kick was all that separated the sides.
Dowson’s line-up included an unnamed trialist, later revealed to be attacker Pierre Fonkeu, who featured against City last term for Hemel Hempstead Town.
Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park has hosted two friendlies this July with nearly 6,000 combined witnessing defeats to Charlton and Millwall.
Encouraging draws with National League sides Bromley and Boreham Wood were either side of a 2-0 success against Barnet, before a draw at Chatham Town and defeat at Canvey which saw a scathing account from the Dartford boss.
“I thought it was awful,” Dowson told Dartford FC TV after the loss.
“I couldn’t think of any pluses apart from young Sam Odaudu when he came on.
“We need to get this out of our systems. My two centre-halves have been brilliant this pre-season but were awful today.
“I picked the wrong team, so the manager wasn’t good either.
“I’m glad to get this game out the way. They’ve got to up their game next week, which I’m sure they will do.
“The players had a bad day at the office and the manager did too.”
Dowson and his assistant, Sky Sports’ leading football commentator Martin Tyler, have overseen a squad overhaul following last year’s play-off heartbreak.
The five players who scored against Bath in last season’s two league meetings – Ade Azeez, Jake Robinson, George Porter, Kalvin Kalala and Marcus Dinanga – are no longer at the club, the first four joining fellow National League South opponents.
A key arrival is midfielder Luke Coulson, who won the FA Trophy with Bromley in May. In attack they’ve brought in Davide Rodari from Dorking Wanderers, Alex Wall from Havant & Waterlooville and Charlie Sheringham for a third spell from Chelmsford City.
Wall and Sheringham have a history of scoring against the Romans in National League South, but it’s not as impressive as Dartford’s stranglehold over City since their first meeting in this competition in 2015.
Dartford have won ten of 12 contests against Bath in this division, including all seven at Princes Park with City failing to score there in the last six.
The Kent outfit won 3-1 at Twerton Park in September 2021 in a match where City paid for several squandered chances in the second half.
“We saw one hell of a reaction from my team today,” said Gill following that loss.
“I gave them full credit afterwards – they were full of endeavour, wanted to play for Bath City. They put in a performance which should have got us something from the game.”
The Darts also knocked City out of the FA Trophy on penalties in November last year after a goalless draw, with Alex Fletcher the only player to fail in the shootout.
Goals from Kalala and a last second Dinanga penalty gave Dartford a win over City in February this year.
The clubs have met on the opening game before. On August 4, 2018, Gill’s side took an early lead through Adam Mann but Elliot Bradbrook and Delano Sam-yorke’s 87th-minute penalty turned it around after Bradbrook had skied over from the spot 15 minutes before the forward.
City recovered to finish 5th in the league, while Dartford ended a disappointing 10th, their lowest placing since relegation back to this level seven years ago.
“We’re not going to win or lose the league on Saturday,” said Gill.
“We just want to see that we’re physically fit, strong and organised.
“We’re really excited to be at home.
“We’ll pack the place out and the crowd will be behind us.
“These players are excited to run out at Twerton Park in their new kit on the first day.”
Supporters can collect their season tickets from the club office before Saturday’s game.
To avoid the queues and buy match tickets in advance, visit bathcityfc.ktckts.com/brand/ match-tickets which includes selective discounts.