Keynsham 0-1 Bath City Nov 2017

A few thoughts…

This is the fixture I had been looking forward to the most this season, as I know how much a game like this will mean for my local club. If you have read this site before then you must have noticed there is a lot of City news on there (when I find the time to write) and that I’m a big Bath City fan but I do have a soft spot for Keynsham.

The crowd this evening was 336 which must be the highest crowd that Keynsham have had for a competitive game for many years. This is vital for the club finances for the K’s as their only way of making money is through the turnstile as they actually rent back their ground for training and games.

So I urge all City fans who want to see a game on 3G before debating about whether or not Twerton Park should have one to get down to Crown fields to watch a game.

Most City fans going thought that this would be an easy game but every single Keynsham player who crossed that white line left nothing behind. The defending was great from the first to the last minute and the club can hold their heads high after tonight.

Both teams went close in the first half and City’s quality was telling all night. Jack Compton’s freekick hit the woodwork and Nat Jarvis hit the other post, after getting ahead of his marker, as the ball came in from the right later in that half. Keynsham’s best chances came through Cameron Shorney’s freekicks with Adrian Harvey forcing a stop from Luke Southwood.

Southwood couldn’t handle a shot from range just before half time but number 11’s follow up was a touch too slow as the City defence cleared. Captain Jason Adams also had a great chance after controlling a Shorney delivery in the box but couldn’t apply the finish.

View from behind the goal in the second half as Saunders, Dunk and Williams shape up for another corner

In the second half it was a far more one sided game and it looked like only a matter of time before Matt Dunk would concede. However the shot stopper got down well to his left to pull off a great save as the half wore on.

There was nothing up front for Keynsham as Matt Brown’s hard work, up front on his own, didn’t phase the City defence as it would to teams in the Western League. The ball was relentless in coming back and finally City made the break through courtesy of a rare Dan Ball goal.

A corner was played into the near post on the ground with Ball steering past Dunk as the defender on the post came out to try and make the block.

At this point I had assumed that City would try for a big win as Keynsham made a few substitutions to try and push forward. How wrong was I!

The possession was still with City but it was summed up after the players stopped for another corner, only for a City striker to say in frustration “any danger of the ball coming into the box?”.

Keynsham’s defence held strong and eventually they would get that inevitable chance to equalise on a break away. A ball played over the top from midfield allowed Kyle Box to get beyond his man after holding off a challenge only to find the on rushing Southwood in excellent form to deny him.

This warning sign paved the way for one of the most embarrassing things I have ever seen as a City fan, or one of the most respectful things – I’ll let you make your own mind up.

They played it in the corner on four separate phases of play and tried to keep it there.

Now I can understand it if this was the FA Cup, facing relegation in the face or needed to win to go up – wouldn’t be happy with it but could understand it. It’s just anti football in my humble opinion.

Clearly Jerry Gill wants to win this competition at any cost and found Keynsham to be an extremely dangerous team. Maybe he didn’t have faith in his own players to see the job through against a team 4 leagues lower than City. I’m not sure, it would be great to hear his opinion on it.

Another worrying note is the injuries that City picked up. Compton and Billy Murphy both forced off in the first half and Opi Edwards limped off at the end.

So to sum up a massive well done to Keynsham Town, all of the players, committee members and fans you stood up tall to City tonight and did very well. City have a long way to go to improving their performances in the league this season and lets hope to see lots of students at the club this Saturday as they entertain East Thurrock.

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