Two goals from Jack Byrne wins it for Harriers

Jack Byrnes two goals, one in each half, gave the Harriers three long awaited points in their quest to get back into the play-off places.  They narrowly failed to achieve that today after Southports last minute winner at Ebbsfleet kept them in those valued places.

For the Harriers, in what could be their last visit to Baths' Twerton Park ground for a while, Ryan Rowe was bought into the side for his first start in place of Dan Bradley who was not even on the bench.  Callum Gittings also returned in place of Nick Wright who was on the bench.  There was no Mickey Demetriou and Lee Hendrie who were both still out injured.

The game kicked off in bright, early Spring sunshine and within seconds came the first yellow card of the game when Baths Lewis Hogg went in full blooded on Lee Vaughan and sent him crashing to the ground.  Without a win in ages and struggling at the foot of the table it was clear that City were setting their stall out early.

Hogg almost put his side into the lead soon after but his shot went into the side netting.  Following that the game deteriorated until from out of nothing the Harriers stormed into the lead.

Jamille Matt set up Ryan Rowe for a shot on goal but the City defender Joe Burnell managed to block it on the line for the ball to then rebound to Anthony Malbon who also fired the ball in.  This time the City keeper, Jason Matthews, got a hand to it and again it was pushed away.  This time Jack Byrne made no mistake and slid the ball home from close range.

It could have been two a minute later when this time Byrne played Matt in but with only the keeper to beat the tall, goal starved, striker put the ball wide.

Bath didn't give up though and they continued to plug away at the Harriers suspect defence.  Scott Murray unleashed a powerful shot from outside the area that Tony Breeden did well to get hold of.

The half drew to a close with the Harriers still in the lead but being pushed all the way.

City commenced the second period with a substitution with Marley Watkins,the former Cheltenham youth team player, coming on in place of Tom Doherty.  The change gave them some impetus and they came at the Reds right from the off.  Lewis Hogg volleyed over the top after the former Harriers loan player Sean Canham set him up and then that man himself struck from a corner ball but got blocked on the line.

The Harriers were living dangerously but respite was to come from Jack Byrne once more.

Just prior to our second goal Ryan Rowe had a shot that failed to trouble the City keeper and then from nowhere Byrne unleashed a twenty yard screamer that flew over the keepers head and into the back of the net.

Again City tried to get back into the game almost immediately.  This time Watkins was the one hoping to save his team from disaster as he latched onto a cross from Murray that he fired straight at Breeden.

Watkins and Lee Vaughan found their names being entered into the refs notebook straight after when Lee bought the winger down in a run of the mill tackle but Watkins reaction was over the top and following a small brawl both players were yellow carded.  A minute later and Hogg took the retaliation a step further by hacking Byrne down on the edge of the box.  Amazingly the referee bottled handing out a second yellow to the former Bristol Rovers man and he somehow stayed on the pitch until he was pulled off by his management to save his skin.

A series of subs for both sides took place with Chris Shephard on for Hogg and Jamie Cook replacing Murray.  For the Harriers Steve Guinan and Marvin Johnson came on for Matt and Malbon.  Later Nick Wright took over from Rowe.

With the clock now ticking down and the Harriers looking comfortably home and dry City got themselves back into the game with a consolation goal.  It was one of the subs, Shephard, that supplied Sean Canham with the ball to bury it beyond the reach of Breeden.

With their tails in the air City started to pressure the Harriers as they went in search of the equaliser.  Breeden easily held onto Shephards free kick and then another former Cheltenham man, Andy Gallinagh, saw his shot blocked on the line just before another free kick got headed away by Mike Williams.

Thankfully the Harriers managed to hold on and in the end Jack Byrnes two goals were deemed enough to give us the points and move us up one place in the table.

 Goal for Bath City: S Canham 88
 Goals for Harriers: Byrne 18, 54

REFEREE:

Mr R Wigglesworth South Yorkshire