Bath City 1, Torquay United 2: United notch first away win of the season

Centre forward Cody Cooke scored against his old club in the first half and defender Ed Palmer  headed home on his debut in the second as Torquay United battled their way to a deserved and  important first away win of the season at Bath City on Tuesday night.

Paul Wotton’s Gulls picked themselves up from the disappointment of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at  Farnborough to make it six points from the first three games of the season. 

Cheered on by nearly 500 travelling fans at Twerton Park, they were good value for a 2-0 lead  midway through the second half.  Bath pulled a goal back through Sol Wanjau-Smith in the 78th minute, but United held firm in the  closing stages to earn a first away victory under new boss Wotton.  

Wotton had clearly not shrugged off what he rated as a below-par display in the first half at  Farnborough.  One change was enforced – centre-back Jordan Dyer had sustained more than cramp in the closing  stages last Saturday, and a hamstring injury opened the way for former Gulls youth trainee Ed  Palmer to make his senior debut at the back.  

But Wotton also brought in fit-again Finley Craske for Finn Tonks at right wing-back, Lirak Hasani for  Omar Mussa in midfield and Ben Seymour for Brad Ash up front. Tonks, Mussa and Ash all dropped to the bench.  

United’s team coach had broken down en route, but it was fortunate that several players had  arranged to rendezvous at Taunton, so the squad was able to complete the journey to Bath in their  cars.  

Playing downhill in the first half, United dominated the early stages, with Matt Carson always  available for the ball down the left wing.  A better first touch by the young Ulsterman would have seen him in on a diagonal pass by Oscar  Threlkeld.  

But, after ex-Gulls striker Alex Fisher fired a decent chance over, Carson set up the breakthrough in  the 17th minute.  

Palmer found him, Carson was beaten at first by Nick Grimes, but the City man gave him a second  chance by the bye-line, he pulled back a low cross for Cooke to shoot home with his right foot from  eight yards... 1-0. 

Moments later Craske put in a strong run down the right, crossed to the near-post and Seymour  somehow missed with a glancing header from point-blank range.  

In the 21st minute Cooke got on the end of another Carson cross, but this time Harvey Wiles-Richards  saved his downward header.  

Referee Lewis Sandoe and his officials were already making some puzzling decisions – a booking for  Cooke when he clearly beat an opponent to the ball was a case in point.  

But, after James Hamon did well to tip a set-piece header by Fisher over his bar, there was an almost  farcical moment. 

One of the linesmen, who had earlier failed to spot Wiles-Richards holding the ball outside his area,  then kept his flag down when the ball went out for a throw – it wasn’t even close.  

Wotton was understandably apoplectic, and he ended up with a booking for his protests to the  Fourth Official.  

Craske had a penalty appeal turned down before another controversial incident on the stroke of  half-time.  

Cooke appeared to be fouled by the halfway line, but again Mr Sandoe turned it down, the ball was  pumped into United’s penalty area where Scott Wilson, having done all the hard work, made an  terrible hash of a wonderful chance.  

Wotton and assistant Mike Edwards very obviously delayed following their players down the tunnel  at the interval, presumably to keep their cool and/or avoid running into men in black.  

The bookings continued at the start of the second half, Threlkeld added to the list, before Hasani  was sent tumbling in the box – again no penalty.  

The Romans upped the ante in search of an equaliser, Hamon saving well from a header by sub  Reuben Davies as the hosts launched a series of long, high balls at the retreating Gulls.  

But in the 63rd minute United crucially extended their lead when Palmer got on the end of a Dan  Hayfield free – kick and looped a clever header over the keeper and into the net... 2-0. 

Wotton sent on Tonks for the tiring Craske and Collins for Hasani with 20 minutes to go, but the  game was far from over.  

Despite Wotton’s urging, United dropped deeper under the mounting pressure, but they certainly  got plenty of men behind the ball and they remained disciplined and determined in the challenge.  

They did finally crack in the 78th minute when Wilson, who was causing problems down City’s left,  set up Davies for a cross-shot and Wanjau-Smith stuck out a boot to deflect the ball home from eight  yards... 2-1. 

Hamon, who had another good game, had no chance.  

United rode their luck on crosses a couple of times in the closing stages as Wotton considered  sending on Jaydn Crosbie for Cooke, who had given his all.  

But he decided not to in the end, Cooke still able to help out on set-pieces.  

And it was left to Hamon to make the final clinching save, tipping a Parselle header over his bar deep  into stoppage-time.  

Bath City (3-5-2): Wiles-Richards; Grimes (Alves), Batten, Parselle; Wanjau-Smith, Humphrey-Ewers (Sweeten 70), Tillson, Morgan, Clark; Fisher (Davies 46), Wilson; subs not used – Sardo.  

Booked: Grimes 41, Davies 56, Wilson 90+4). 

Torquay United (3-5-2): Hamon; Palmer, Dreyer, Foulston; Craske (Tonks 70), Hasani (Collins 70) ,  Threlkeld, Hayfield, Carson; Seymour (Ash 54), Cooke; subs not used – Crosbie, Mussa.  

Booked: Cooke 17, Dreyer 30, Wotton 35, 

Referee: Lewis Sandoe (Dorset).

Attendance: 2,259.