Fletcher’s update completes positive weekend for Romans
Alex Fletcher’s confirmation of his improved health rounded off a perfect weekend for Bath City.
Thirteen days after his horrific accident against Dulwich Hamlet saw him hospitalised at Southmead, the forward passed on a statement on Monday morning with an update on his condition:
“Thank you all so much for your kindness, generosity and messages of goodwill that you have sent to me through what has been the most challenging period of my life.
“I am now off the intensive care unit and continuing my recovery on the neurosurgery ward assisted by the wonderful staff and nurses here.
“I want to say a special thank you to all those who have been looking after me and my family and to everyone who has contributed to the gofundme page which will help me get back to doing what I love to do as soon as possible.
“It will be a long road to recovery, but I will draw on all of the love and support that everyone has shown, every step of the way.
“Look forward to seeing you all in the future but in the meantime, up the Romans.”
Two days earlier, it was clear only one person was on Jerry Gill’s mind following their FA Trophy win at Billericay.
“The win was for Alex,” said the City manager after the 3-1 victory in Essex.
“It’s been an emotional week. I’m full of emotion now still after the game.
“Alex was at the forefront of our minds for the week’s preparation. We trained Tuesday and Thursday but I didn’t know how I would feel or how my players would feel come 3 o’clock.
“But it feels like I’ve got a special group of people around me that have performed at their best in everything this week.
“The players feel like my sons, like we’re part of one big family.
“We produced a fantastic performance and win. I couldn’t be prouder of my players, staff and fans. The support today was amazing and has been throughout all this.”
Elliott Frear opened the scoring for City on 16 minutes with a tremendous finish from 25 yards.
A travelling partner of Fletcher’s in the Devon car school, Frear immediately ran to his teammate’s number seven shirt, which was with the City fans throughout, to join in celebrations with supporters and all 11 Bath players.
Fellow Devonian Dan Hayfield doubled the lead soon after halftime before Luke Spokes rounded it off on 77 minutes, both players replicating Frear’s actions by singling out Fletcher’s usual jersey.
“We wanted to support him while we were here,” said Gill.
“All three of our goals were fantastic.
“Dan was unlucky with one in the first half and I think his deflected effort for his goal was going in. Luke’s shot was unstoppable.
“For the players to celebrate with our wonderful fans and lift the number seven shirt is such a poignant moment for us all.”
Gill praised the togetherness of his side in trying circumstances, and pre-match shared a huddle with players and staff in front of the away dugout.
“There was no team talk today,” he said.
“We got together for that huddle pre-match and the messages were about Alex.
“They’ve come together more than ever. I felt it in training, on the coach and in the game.
“You have injuries and things in football but nothing prepares you for this.
“We know it’s a freak accident, I want to make that clear.
“We unite even further now, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Gill admitted he was “pretty drained and emotional” from recent events.
“The game itself was really pleasing but there’s a bigger picture to this,” Gill stated.
“It’s showing what the football world can do together.
“It’s been trying – there’s no coaching manual which tells you how to deal with these situations. We’ve tried to deal with it in our own way.
“The individuals had time off, I went away. We regrouped and we’re by no means over it physically, emotionally or mentally, but we’re just trying to work through it in our own way.
“Alex’s family wanted us to come here and play, I asked his dad about us returning to training and games, I wanted to be respectful.
“Our club has offered so much support for his parents and it’s invaluable.
“I’ve had so many messages and get back to all of you. I want to say thank you from our Football Club.
“Hopefully this result gives Alex a little gee-up in bed. Everything this week has been geared up for this and I’m so pleased we’ve managed to get a win for him.
“I miss him dearly and can’t wait to speak to him again.”
Fletcher and Cody Cooke’s absences saw Gill bring in Callum Ebanks on loan from Cheltenham, after the front man was recalled from a similar spell at Eastleigh.
Cheltenham head coach Wade Elliott said: “I had a good chat with him on Thursday.
“The reason we sent Callum to Eastleigh was that we thought it’d be a good environment for him, at a good level, around the first team and involved every week in a good league.
“I know [Eastleigh manager] Lee Bradbury fairly well and thought Lee would be good for him, being the type of centre forward Lee was, he’d be able to give Callum some real detail.
“I think he’s enjoyed it and learned a lot from it.
“If he can go to Bath now and get a run of games and make an impression there between now and January or February, he can look back on his season and say he’s made his Football League debut, had a good taste of being out in the National League and if he can get a run of games now at Bath, putting those learnings into practice, he can look back on decent progression over the course of the season.”
Summer-lily Robinson enjoyed a dream debut for Bath City Women, claiming a goal and an assist in a morale-boosting win against Bishops Lydeard Ladies Reserves.
The midfielder opened the scoring for Matt Abreu’s depleted side on 39 minutes before it was quickly extinguished by Natasha Lovell.
Robinson’s corner created the second as her near post delivery was unintentionally deflected home by Lydeard’s Jess Erdos, also making her first appearance, which proved the decider.
Sophie Campbell’s bravery in goal helped clinch a return to winning ways for City to keep them in fourth.
Campbell should have been tested on 27 minutes when Izzy Todechini raced clear but pulled wide.
It proved a costly miss as City took the lead 12 minutes later. Robinson found space on the edge of the box and her lofted effort was out of goalkeeper Sarah Waygood’s reach to make it 1-0.
Lydeard swiftly levelled when Jaye Howlett’s free-kick wasn’t fully cleared and Lovell was perfectly placed to side-foot home from eight yards.
After the break, Annie Hervey charged down Waygood’s clearance which ricocheted for Emily Bristow, but she could only find the outside of the post from an acute angle. Hervey was denied on the line on 55 minutes when the home defence got in a muddle, and they were in similar strife from the resulting corner.
Robinson’s delivery evaded Esme Fensome but was inadvertently sliced into her own net by Erdos at the near post to leave Waygood helpless.
Campbell was the busier of the two keepers afterwards as she denied Alex Husson with her feet and courageously prevented Emily Crook and Tilli Davidson a way through in quick succession.
Ali Diegutis skied over from Robinson’s corner which would have clinched the win, before Campbell was nearly left red-faced when Husson’s effort slipped under her body before she recovered and pounced on the loose ball inches before it crossed the line.
The City players breathed a sigh of relief at full-time as their determination to overcome a tricky side was rewarded.