Louis Britton’s dramatic 92nd-minute winner denied Bath City a point and ended their five-game unbeaten run at Weston-super-Mare. The former Roman striker netted his second goal of the match, just nine minutes after Will Jenkins Davies had seemingly secured a draw for the visitors.
All three goals were scored around similar moments to Bath City’s previous weekend victory at Hampton, with Britton giving the Seagulls the lead shortly after halftime. However, Weston’s failure to defend a set-piece proved costly for Darren Way’s side, who have now dropped five points in added time on the road since early October.
The first half was a cagey and chance-poor affair. Bath’s Brad Ash, a former Weston player, flared a volley from six yards over the bar after a pull-back from Jenkins Davies. Weston’s sole opportunity came via a fortunate sequence: Dan Greenslade’s clearance rebounded off Will Dawes and into goalkeeper Harvey Wiles-Richards’ hands. Wiles-Richards, returning after missing the previous game due to the birth of his first child, was well protected during the opening 45 minutes.
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Weston came out revitalized after the break. Within 17 seconds, Wiles-Richards parried Britton’s curling shot straight to Dawes, who struck the rebound against the inside of the post from close range. Early in the second half, Joe Raynes received a yellow card for a foul on James Dodd. This booking, his fifth of the season, will see him suspended for Bath’s upcoming match against Maidstone United.
On 57 minutes, Weston took the lead. A methodical buildup ended with Michael Smith delivering from the byline, allowing Britton to head the ball in past Wiles-Richards, who only managed to deflect it into the net. In response, manager Darren Way substituted Jordan Alves for Manny Yeboah as Bath gradually regained momentum.
Their persistent efforts paid off in the 83rd minute when Greenslade’s cross from the left was accidentally flicked on by Emlyn Lewis to Jenkins Davies at the back post. Davies’ initial shot was blocked by Jason Pope, but with Weston goalkeeper Max Harris committed, he calmly side-footed the rebound into the empty corner, leveling the match at 1-1.
However, unlike their late joy at Hampton, Bath City’s hopes of a late point were dashed at the Optima Stadium. Luke Coulson’s corner found Britton, who outpaced Kieran Parselle to score from close range. This goal, Britton’s 13th across all competitions this season, secured Weston a 2-1 win, keeping them right behind league leaders Hornchurch and handing Bath their first loss since November 1.