Bath City and Plymouth Parkway shared the spoils in a competitive 1-1 draw that saw both teams showcase their qualities. Former Plymouth Argyle striker Reuben Reid struck a second-half equaliser for Bath City, cancelling out a first-half opener from Mikey Williams who had given the visitors the lead.
Bath City made three changes from their previous 2-1 victory at Sholing, with Donovan Wilson sidelined through injury, Scott Wilson on the bench, and Ollie Chamberlain, Reid, and Owen Windsor starting the game. Windsor returned after serving a suspension. Plymouth Parkway, buoyed by a recent 7-0 triumph over Bracknell Town, faced a more challenging defensive test in the first 20 minutes at Twerton Park.
The opening stages saw Bath pressing high, with opportunities falling to players like Windsor and Jordan Tillson; however, goalkeeper Aaron Dearing was able to keep the visitors in the game. Despite promising advances and multiple corners, it was Plymouth Parkway who broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. Rio Garside’s intelligent play found Williams, who arced a precise curling shot into the bottom left corner from 16 yards. This strike marked Williams' 97th goal for Parkway.
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Shortly after, Parkway came close to doubling their lead from a set-piece, but Bath’s defence held firm. Bath City’s manager Scott Bartlett made a tactical substitution at half-time, introducing 17-year-old Seweryn Streczen in place of Windsor, which brought renewed energy to the home side.
Just minutes into the second half, Bath City struck back. Streczen played a vital role in the build-up, setting up Kieran Parselle, whose clearance mistake allowed Reid to pounce on the loose ball and hammer it into the net from 12 yards. At 38 years and 14 days old, Reid became the oldest scorer for Bath City since 2012.
The match intensified, with Bath City pressing hard to secure a winner. Parselle and Streczen both came close, with Streczen firing narrowly wide. Plymouth Parkway also had their chances, including a header from Taylor Scarff that struck the bar and several attempts from Rio Garside and Joe Raynes that were thwarted by Bath’s goalkeeper Harvey Wiles-Richards.
In the final minutes, the game saw end-to-end action. Plymouth’s defensive resilience was tested repeatedly, including a crucial header from Jensen Ireland that cleared a dangerous cross. Despite late pressure, neither side could find a winning goal, forcing them to settle for a point each.
The draw leaves Bath City with four points from their opening two league matches, highlighting an encouraging start under Bartlett’s management, while Parkway demonstrated why they remain a force to be reckoned with under Karl Curtis’s leadership.