Manager Abreu remaining positive despite scoreline
Bath City Women’s first league game ended in defeat to title favourites Pen Mill Ladies.
The Yeovil-based side showed no mercy in the first half as they benefitted on lapses at the back to get off to a winning start.
City had their chances but found home goalkeeper Kate Chard in top form to frustrate Matt Abreu’s side.
“I thought for the first 20-25 we were in control despite conceding two sloppy goals,” said Abreu after his first match in charge. “After that I felt like we dropped out heads a bit for the rest of the half.
“We failed to have the desire to get the ball and they got the other two goals. I don’t think we deserved to be 4-0 down at half-time. I thought we were the better team technically but these things happen sometimes.”
Stand-in goalkeeper Ali Diegutis gifted Pen Mill’s first on five minutes when her attempt to play out from the back saw her pass go straight to Megan Gratton, who accepted the gift to confidently fire home from 18 yards.
Tanea Wright was smartly denied by Chard, who bravely blocked the follow-up from the same player to keep her side ahead. The hosts doubled their lead midway through the half when City failed to clear a throw-in and Leonie Hobbs’ slammed into the roof of the net from just inside the box.
It became 3-0 eight minutes later with a goal near identical to the first, this time Charlotte Harmer capitalising on a loose ball from a backpass to dispatch past Diegutis.
Annie Hervey’s attempt from the corner of the penalty area nearly caught out Chard who did well to bat away, while her opposite number was helpless to prevent a fourth as Lorna Jennings was freed inside the penalty area and her low drive snuck inside Diegutis’ right post to give the home side a commanding advantage.
City still pressed but Chard stood firm. After good work by Emily Bristow, Wright found half a yard to shoot and her effort slipped through Chard’s hands before the stopper courageously prevented the onrushing Ashanti Golding from poking home the rebound to keep the lead at four into the break.
“At half-time the players said themselves that they needed to show more desire,” said Abreu. “If you don’t have desire for the ball you’re always going to lose.
“Players needed to get involved and stuck in, that’s exactly what they did. I thought in the second half we took control, had good chances. We just couldn’t get the ball in the net.”
The remaining 45 largely belonged to the visitors with Diegutis seldom troubled.
Jade Whale hammered wide from a tight angle, the impressive Chelsea Giles showed excellent close control in the box before Chard tipped her shot around the post and Livi Davis shanked wide after Paige Owen-jordan’s free-kick ricocheted back off Chard’s knees to the midfielder.
City Women were much more resolute defensively and the frequent substitutions didn’t hamper their momentum as they matched their accomplished opponents in the second half. Abreu remained confident despite the setback, believing his side will feature at the right end of the Somerset County Women’s League.
“I believe we’re going to be there or thereabouts,” he said. “A lot of the league will judge us on this one result though. Pen Mill are the reigning champions and have been together for two or three years now, unlike us.
“We’ve got something to build on. We are already gelling well as a team. They know when they come back to us at Twerton Park later in the season it’s not going to be the same result. We’ll give them a good battle.”
The Women’s side face Portishead Ladies this Sunday, at Twerton Park (ko 2pm), their first league match at the venue.
“Next week’s a big one,” said Abreu.
“If that doesn’t get fire in your belly for the season then nothing will.
“I’m hoping the players will be up for that and try and prove a point next week to rectify what’s happened today. There’s no time like the present to prove to everyone what you’re capable of.”