Bath City secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Hanworth Villa, with Ollie Chamberlain scoring his first goal for the club to extend the Romans' unbeaten run while ending Hanworth’s streak.
The match was marked by a late squad adjustment, as Harrison Minturn was ruled out due to injury during the warm-up. Jack Batten was called into the team, making his first appearance under manager Scott Bartlett. James Morton also made his third debut and adapted well to the lineup, helping Bath accumulate seven points from their opening three games-their best start since the 2019/20 season.
Playing in challenging heat, the early stages saw both sides evenly matched until a crucial hydration break appeared to benefit Bath. Scott Wilson’s efforts culminated in the opening goal when Joe Raynes found space down the line to feed Harry Parsons. Parsons' cross bypassed Wilson, allowing Chamberlain to finish from close range.
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Hanworth Villa posed several threats in the first half, with their 20-yard strike well saved by goalkeeper Harvey Wiles-Richards before half-time. The second half saw Bath start positively, with a promising attack involving Enzio Boldewijn and Joe Raynes, though their shot was comfortably saved.
Villa increased their intensity and came close to equalising multiple times, including a shot that rattled the post and a corner that was narrowly missed. Key substitutes Matt Bowman and Seweryn Streczen combined effectively during a counter, keeping Villa at bay. Michael Harding’s late effort was blocked on the line by Batten, helping Bath maintain their first clean sheet of the season.
The victory places Bath City third in the division, level on points with Chertsey Town and Uxbridge, ahead of their upcoming match away at Basingstoke Town.
Manager Scott Bartlett acknowledged the team’s lacklustre performance, commenting, “I’m happier with the points total than the performances so far. We looked a bit lethargic; I think our experience got us the win rather than our legs. We defended our box brilliantly. Jack Batten did absolutely fine, considering he didn’t know he was playing until 20 minutes before kickoff.”
Bartlett praised Chamberlain’s versatility and contribution, noting his role shift from defensive midfield in the previous draw against Plymouth Parkway to a more advanced position this game, resulting in the decisive goal. He remarked, “Ollie is a seven or eight out of 10 wherever he plays. The afternoon became tougher as the game went on since he missed some preseason, but his experience was vital.”
The manager also spoke about managing player fitness amid a demanding schedule, explaining the cautious approach on pressing due to upcoming fixtures. He expressed optimism about Morton’s involvement, highlighting his physical readiness despite still regaining match fitness.
Overall, Bartlett remains focused on improvement but emphasised the importance of securing wins under tough conditions. “There’s a nice feel about the place. Wins are hard to come by, and you have to enjoy it,” he concluded.