In a thrilling National League South encounter at a rain-soaked Beveree Stadium, Bath City emerged victorious with a remarkable stoppage-time goal from Jordan Tillson, beating Hampton & Richmond Borough 2-1.
The match began cautiously as both teams tried to adapt to the challenging weather conditions. Early on, Bath rattled the woodwork with a header from a corner finding the junction of post and crossbar. Despite this scare, chances were scarce initially. As the first half progressed, Bath’s defense grew more confident, with goalkeeper Charlie Binns making key saves, including a crucial tip over the bar from Kai Woollard-Innocent.
The deadlock broke shortly after halftime. Hampton’s keeper Matthew Rowley failed to handle a Will Jenkins-Davies corner properly, allowing Kieran Parselle to nod home the opener for Bath. Bath continued to press, with Owen Windsor’s aggressive runs threatening Hampton’s defense, though Rowley denied further efforts.
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Hampton fought back, equalizing in the 82nd minute through Paul-Lavaly after a well-placed cross-shot that beat Binns. The closing minutes saw end-to-end action, with Binns twice denying Alan Massey to keep Bath in the game. Then, in the 93rd minute, Tillson stepped up. A Bath free-kick was partially cleared, but Tillson received the ball 25 yards out and unleashed a breathtaking first-time strike into the top corner, clinching the win for Bath.
Meanwhile, Weston-super-Mare faced disappointment in their clash against Dover Athletic. After a goalless first half, Dover took the lead in the 55th minute thanks to an Alfie Matthews free-kick, deflected past Weston’s goalkeeper Max Harris. Weston soon fought back with Scott Wilson scoring a confident finish to level the match at 1-1.
Weston came close again when Louis Britton headed a cross from Luke Coulson, only to be flagged offside. However, heartbreak struck in stoppage time. In the 93rd minute, Dover capitalized on a corner with Luca Cocoracchi forcing the ball home, denying Weston a valuable point and dealing a setback to their title ambitions.
Both matches highlighted the fine margins in competitive football, with Bath City’s resilience rewarded late and Weston-super-Mare left to regroup after a narrow defeat.