WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2007

Blue Square South

Once again Bath proved to be County’s nemesis by snatching a victory that might have been just a little bit fortunate.  While they capitalised upon County’s switching off at set plays, they can be thankful that their defensive failings were not punished by a home side who missed enough chances to win all home games this side of Christmas.  There was of course another factor with a deciding influence on the outcome, but more of the man in black later!

In fairness to the visitors who were getting themselves prepared for their home FA Cup encounter with Torquay United three days later, they were without giant keeper Paul Evans and centre back Chris Holland who had marked Julian Alsop so effectively in the teams’ previous two encounters.  However, Alsop was missing from the County starting line-up after an ankle injury on Saturday, and it was the Romans who were first to show and it took Glyn Thompson at his best to stop Lewis Hogg firing City into a seventh minute lead. 

County weathered the early Bath storm before the first indication that referee Ron Ganfield might not be quite up to the task of controlling two sides whose players know each other so well.  The referee showed yellow cards to Hogg for a nasty foul on Richard Evans and to the County player for his response, but then looked forlorn as players from both sides squared up to each other ignoring the Weston whistler who was furiously blowing a fuse at the time. 

Evans was already causing problems for the Bath defence with some direct wing play and the crowd called for sterner action from Ganfield when he showed only yellow to Scott Rogers for dangerous use of the elbow.  It was a mystery only he could answer though why he did not dismiss the Bath midfield player a little later when he raised his hand to palm the ball down and then belted it away after the free-kick had been awarded.  It was the referee’s Graham Poll moment in not showing a second, or even a third yellow card for Rogers’ combined transgressions, and Bath’s former County manager John Relish later admitted he would have not argued had his player been sent off.

County were starting to open up the Bath defence who looked much more fragile without the influential Holland, and Hogg was the second player who was fortunate to stay on the field when he chopped down Jason Bowen and would surely have been cautioned if he had not already received an earlier booking.  The combative Bath player though then annoyed his manager by failing to pick up EVANS from Bowen’s 35th minute free-kick and the left winger fired County in front with an unstoppable effort from 20 yards.

Bowen forced a fine save from stand-in keeper Steve Perrin though he should have been given no chance and Evans, Craig Hughes and Ian Hillier all missed chances as County held the ascendancy.  But a free-kick generously awarded to Bath for an innocuous challenge by Lee Fowler 30 yards out was well-worked and ROGERS, who should by this time have been immersed in his shower, fired home.

There had been ‘previous’ between City striker Darren Edwards and Damon Searle in the Twerton Park encounter last month and they did not exactly look like bosom pals when they had their own personal squabble just before half-time with the County left-back being the one to benefit from Ganfield’s leniency as both were cautioned.  Searle had appeared to put his head into the Bath player’s face.

County outplayed Bath for a spell in the second half with Hughes, who was starting to look much more like his old self, extending Perrin in the 50th minute and again on the hour, while it was perhaps unfortunate that two golden chances both fell to Fowler who has yet to find his best form for County, and both went begging.  Bath were fortunate they were still in the game when they replaced the ineffective Dave Gilroy by towering substitute Phil Walsh though the switch was ominous for County.  The young forward had scored such a good goal with his first touch in the FA Cup meeting and he presented a different set of problems for Lee Jarman and company.

In the 74th minute, the crowd was stunned into silence, apart from the surprisingly small Bath contingent, when WALSH was left unmarked to head home Mark McKeever’s left wing corner.  The lead lasted just three minutes before EVANS scored a spectacular solo goal by setting off on a left wing run and cutting in and hitting a crisp right footed shot from distance to leave the worthy Perrin clutching fresh air.

With Alsop joining the fray there appeared only one possible winner before Ganfield produced his piece de resistance.  He pointed to the spot when Edwards appeared to stumble past Searle and HOGG scored the penalty. 

Whether Ganfield was correct is another matter which video evidence may possibly clarify, but his after match reaction when politely questioned by the South Wales Argus reporter was unfortunate to say the least.  When asked by Michael Pearlman why he had awarded the penalty, he said: “I don’t answer questions from the press.  Get out!”

There may be an argument that officlals should not have to justify their applications of the laws of the game to the viewing public, and of course Mr Ganfield considered his decision correct at the time.  But referees are also part of the entertainment spectacle and are able to exert a very significant influence upon its outcome.  That surely means they have some accountability to those who pay to watch and those who are paid to participate.

970 spectators, and apparently both managers, went home from this game mystified by its decisive moment and their confusion will continue because one man remains silent.  What a shame it is that the silent man was the one most talked about after the game!

Man of the Match:

County: Richard Evans (It was a travesty that he finished on the losing side).

Bath: Scott Rogers (Combined an outstanding individual display with some darker moments).

© Colin Jeremiah