Frear’s cracking strike sets up Bath for Trophy victory

BATH City returned to the pitch on Saturday afternoon for the first time since Alex Fletcher’s dreadful injury and produced a great performance to overcome Billericay Town 3-1 at the New Lodge in the FA Trophy second round.

They got off to a great start when a 16th-minute corner was only cleared as far as Elliott Frear 25 yards out, and he fired a shot past harry Seadon into the roof of the net.

The Isthmian League side responded well to this setback and Ryan Clarke had to be at his best to keep out efforts from Anthony Jeffrey, twice, and Eze Ebuzoeme, while Frear and Luke Spokes went close to increasing Bath’s lead before the interval.

However, within three minutes of the restart, Bath struck again when Dan Hayfield’s deflected shot wrongfooted Seadon.

The home side pulled a goal back eight minutes later, when the impressive John Ufuah cut inside and beat Clarke at his near post.

They pressed forward after this but with 13 minutes Bath made it 3-1 when Spokes’ 20-yard effort found the net via the underside of the crossbar.