Bath City suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to play-off hopeful Maidenhead United, marking their 20th loss in 40 league matches this season. The hosts secured a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Josh Popoola, Josh Umerah, and Alfie Pendlebury, extending their dominance over Bath City with five consecutive wins totaling a 17-3 aggregate over the past decade.
This result handed Scott Bartlett his first defeat as Bath City manager. The club’s struggles continue as they now face a 14-game winless streak, the longest since 2001, pushing them closer to relegation, which could be confirmed as early as Easter Monday.
Key defender Kieran Parselle reached a milestone with his 200th appearance for the club, but injuries ravaged the team lineup with several players unavailable, including Harvey Wiles-Richards, Joe Raynes, Jack Batten, and others. Early in the match, Alex Fisher was forced off due to injury, disrupting the side further and giving Maidenhead an advantage.
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Maidenhead dominated early, winning 11 corners in the first half and creating sustained pressure. Popoola opened the scoring in the 31st minute when a corner caused confusion in the Bath defense. Despite some resistance, Bath’s keeper Charlie Binns could not deny a penalty awarded for a clumsy foul on Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, converted by Umerah just before halftime.
Although Bath showed signs of better play in the final minutes of the first half, including a fine save by goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef, they were unable to challenge Maidenhead significantly after the break. Substitute Pendlebury sealed the game with a late header, his first for the club since joining in February.
Bath’s efforts were hindered by injuries, including a late hobble off of Ollie Tomlinson. They failed to register a shot on target in the second half and remain without a goal in their last 16 attempts.
Manager Scott Bartlett acknowledged the uphill battle: “It’s going to be really difficult for us to stay in this division. We have injuries and have struggled all season. Still, the players gave great effort, and the supporter atmosphere has been fantastic.”
Looking ahead, Bath City prepare to face local rivals Chippenham Town on Good Friday in the A4 Derby – a critical fixture with both clubs battling to avoid relegation. Despite the challenges, Bartlett remains optimistic about the potential within the squad.
Match summary:
Maidenhead United 3 (Popoola 31'; Umerah 45+1' pen; Pendlebury 72')
Bath City 0
Attendance: 958
Referee: Gary Parsons