Comeback challenge two falls just short against City

Red, yellow and eventually blue night for Crusaders

Hungerford Town 1 Bath City 2

HUNGERFORD got one and a half times through a comeback week before losing out to in-form Bath at Bulpit Lane on Monday night.

They again trailed 2-0, and it might have been worse but for Lewis Ward’s save to keep out a second Jack Compton penalty.

That might have been against 10 men after Ian Herring had been red-carded by referee Paul Harris following the clipping of Marvin Morgan in the box. But urged to consult his assistant, the referee deserved credit for his rethink by downgrading he punishment to yellow, and Ward made it a double bonus with his save.

There were few saves of any kind in the opening half in which James Clark’s harmless header at Luke Southwood was the only on-target attempt.

The second half was entirely different in comparison though, and Bath went ahead after an hour when Nick McCootie went down under Paul Stonehouse’s challenge and Compton tucked home that strike.

He had that second chance three minutes later but Bath got their second goal 15 minutes from the end when Compton lashed home a sweet half-volley from the edge of the area.

Hungerford went all out on another survival bid and Stefan Brown and Louis Soares cut open the defence for Soares to net his fifth goal of the season and Southwood’s reaction stop kept out a late Clark header that may have saved a point for the second game in succession.