Saturday 14th July 2018 ko 15.00

Pre-Season Friendly

BATH CITY 2 (Rigg 45 89)

BRISTOL CITY U23 1 (T Richards 68) M Richards missed penalty 85

Att 187

Entry £8

Programme 50p

Between booking a wedding venue and meeting friends for a meal what should an engaged couple do? The answer in Robyn and I’s case was to visit one of the great British football grounds. 

Twerton Park has been around since 1909 and Bath City have been here since 1932. The ground is one of those glorious hotch-potches of stands, cover and uneven terraces that if you have any kind of footballing soul you’ll love. Look out for the floodlights that behind one goal seem to sprout from outside of the ground.

Here’s a little curio. The ground has also hosted two other clubs. Bristol Rovers has a ten-year stint here after losing Eastville in 1986 and Team Bath (from the University of Bath) played Southern League and Conference South football here until their demise in 2009. Now if you know me, you’ll know I’ve clocked up quite a few grounds, yet somehow managed to visit Twerton for both of the tenants, but never Bath City!

There was plenty to interest the two of us on the footballing front too. Robyn’s a Bristol City fan, and I’ve suffered as a follower of Oxford United long enough to remember the “Asprey out” chants, so Bath featuring former OUFC players Ryan Clarke and Sean Rigg made our presence borderline essential!

It proved to be an interesting game to watch with Bristol City’s talented youngsters up against the age and experience of the hosts who included former Robin Kevin Awankwaah in their ranks. He didn’t last long, succumbing to injury early on but the difference between the sides was unquestionably Rigg. At Oxford he was used as a winger, but here was used in central midfield and his two goals capped a fine performance.

He left Newport County last season to join Bath, and the player to catch the eye for the visitors was forward Antoine Semenyo who as I write is now enjoying a season-long loan at Rodney Parade after spending 7 games on loan at Twerton last season! Incidentally he replaces another Bristol City loanee, Shawn McCoulskey now on loan at Southend United!

You can read far too much into friendlies; the game was settled by Matt Richards missing a late penalty and Rigg nodding in a later corner. Apart from the game being entertaining the other joy of visiting for such a low-profile game was being able to stroll round explore this quite wonderful stadium.

I’ve heard as I’m sure many others have the stories that Bath City’s tenure here is perhaps a little precarious so for the time being enjoy this classic ground while you can.