Bath Schools' dream of becoming Sainsbury's FA
Cup champions for the first time ended in heartache on
Saturday when they narrowly lost out to eventual winners Stoke
on Trent in Keele. The successful representative side had gone
to Keele with high aspirations of landing silverware and were
tipped as one of the favourites to win the
tournament.
As south west champions, Bath were pitted
against three of the best teams from the north, south east and
midlands in a Champions League-style competition.
And the day could not have got off to a better
start when a very determined Bath team opened their account
with a goal within the first minute against
Stevenage.
David Pollinger (Saltford) won the ball
outside the box and laid it off for Bradley Norris (Oldfield
Park) whose snap-shot flew into the bottom left-hand
corner.
Despite a brief comeback from the south east
side, Jamie Smithies (Chandag) and Jack Rowlands (St
Stephen's) stood firm in the Bath defence.
More chances then ensued for Bath as Will
Oswin (Newbridge) repeatedly fed ball after ball behind the
Stevenage defence, only for them to pass agonisingly ahead of
the runs of the Bath strikers. However, Norris' goal was
enough to see Bath collect their first three
points.
Bath's second game was against Stoke on Trent
and, once again, Bath were strong going forward with Oswin and
Pollinger both going close to breaking the
deadlock.
However, it was Stoke on Trent who opened the
scoring when the competition's eventual top goal-scorer,
Daniel Fenton, took advantage of a lapse of concentration in
the Bath defence to leave Bath trailing 1-0.
Almost immediately Stoke on Trent increased
their lead when their right winger cut inside and curled the
ball in off the left-hand post leaving impressive goalkeeper
Joseph Davies (WASPS) helpless.
The second goal inspired Bath to push further
forward and they got the goal they deserved as a scramble in
the goal mouth enabled Oswin to slot the ball into the bottom
left-hand corner.
And with just seconds to go, a cross from Lee
Hedges (Chew Valley) was met by Pollinger and the Bath crowd
were in raptures celebrating a draw.
However, the well-placed referee eventually
decided the ball had not crossed the line and the final
whistle immediately followed.
The loss to Stoke on Trent meant that only a
victory against Derwentside would suffice.
A rejuvenated Lee Hedges led the Bath attack
from the onset as he continuously troubled the Derwentside
left back and created two excellent chances.
Again Bath's unusual inability to finish
frustrated the crowd and their managers, no more so than when
a good move ended with Pollinger releasing a ferocious shot
from the edge of the 18-yard box only to see it rebound 30
yards off the crossbar.
However, nerves were soon eased when a
long-range effort from Hedges was fumbled by the goalkeeper
and the ball ended up in the roof of the net.
Bath were celebrating soon after when they
doubled their lead after Norris' through ball sent Pollinger
clear and he tucked the ball neatly past the advancing
keeper.
But a harmless free-kick from inside the
opposition's half was not attacked by the Bath defence and
Davies was unable to react in time as the ball flew straight
into the back of the net.
Another almost identical free-kick brought the
sides level before Derwentside remarkably took the lead with a
well taken goal by Kia Hewitson from the edge of the 18-yard
box.
Bath's dream was disappearing before their
eyes and matters were made worse when yet another free-kick
from inside Derwentside's half was lofted into the Bath box
unchallenged.
Captain Jamie Smithies (Chandag), said of the
defeat: "We are absolutely gutted. We prepared so long for
this tournament and we were just six minutes away from the
final stage, but we perhaps thought that the game had been won
already at half-time and the second half was a
disaster."
Coach Tim Kirk added: "Although we lost to the
eventual winners, I would be lying if I said we were not
hugely disappointed.
"The standard was very high as you would
expect, but mistakes in the box at both ends cost us
dearly.
"It actually feels like we gave it away rather
than having been beaten, but I'm sure that once the boys have
had a chance to reflect on the experience they will become
better players and stronger characters for it.
"The parents have been wonderfully supportive
and they deserved a little more from today, but that's
football."
