A Tripple Helping of Frustration

Bath City lost today to Hampton & Richmond Borough 3-1. Losing is painful, and for some reason losing in football hurts a lot more than it does in other sports. This loss was harder to bear than normal though: it was a match of continuous frustration. They say football will break your heart and they are right. This, however, was more like football cornering you at a party and talking to you endlessly about themselves in a tedious fashion until, to your horror, you see that the buffet has been picked clean and now there are only the cheddar and pineapple h'ors douvres left that no one else wanted. It was that frustrating!

I was feeling relatively positive as my friend Mark and I approached Twerton Park. City were putting together a decent run, Hampton had struggled out of the blocks, and we were due for a bit of luck after last year's home fixture against Hampton. My brain cheerfully ignored the fact that Hampton's brutish squad from last year was largely the same. It also blocked the memory of how they had made it to the playoffs last year using an ugly, physical style that helped them grind out wins across the league. My brain thinks it is being helpful when it does this. I try not to complain much because it has so far prevented me from going down to the betting shop in such a condition.

In the car park I receive what I think is good news: Will Puddy, our embattled keeper, is injured. Okay, that doesn't sound good, but he is going to be replaced by Steve 'Porks' Perrin, our second choice keeper (Putty was our third choice - the first choice is having a back operation and has yet to play this season). This sounds good especially because last year Hampton had City on the back foot for almost the entire match. Pinned in the back third, the City defence struggled valiantly, but it was Perrin's superhuman shot blocking ability that kept City in the match. Nearly a full match's hard work was undone, though, when referee Mark Philpott awarded a terrible penalty. A sharply hit ball in the penalty box hit Jim Rollo in the arm. The fact that his arm was pinned against his left side and that he could not have avoided being hit there was not considered. City lost what should have been a valiant defensive draw.

Things appeared to be looking up with Perrin between the sticks, but something else was wrong. It may have been the overcast, autumnal sky. It might have been the humidity, which gave the air a 'heavy' feeling. Personally, though, I think the Hampton club just have a bad vibe. I remember it from last year as well. It is the same sort of vibe you feel in a dentist's waiting room, or a bad party. There was a nervous tension in the air that was not related to the expectation of the play of the match. I feel bad saying this, but I think I just have a visceral dislike of Hampton that I can't explain. Ugggh. Even before the first kick this had the feeling of a match to endure rather than a match to enjoy.

One big improvement over last year, though, was that rather than trying to grind out a 0-0 draw from the beginning, City started the match looking to score. Although they rarely seemed on the verge of a finishing shot, City played with a bright style that relied on passing and possession. Most of the Hampton squad was content to keep its shape behind the ball. City regularly charged forward en masse, sometimes dominating mid-field play. Inevitably, though, the surge would break down as it entered the Hampton penalty box. There were several on-target shots in the first half, but never from anyone with the position or time to get much on the ball. Despite looking more like a tax assessor than a keeper, Matt Lovett was always in a good position and kept Hampton in the game.

Eighteen minutes in, it looked like City had gotten some payback for last year's penalty call. During a scuffle in front of goal a Hampton player appeared to sit on Lewis Hogg. This year's ref, Andrew Newell, rightly pointed to the spot. Edwards lined up for the penalty. He had to line up for a long time because the Hampton players kept wandering into the penalty box and Newell would have to wave them out again. Whether or not this was intended to be a distraction, Edwards' kick glanced clear off the top bar. The opportunity to put City in the lead was gone.

Within two minutes, in one of the few sequences thus far in the City half of the field, a mix up in front of goal led to Chris Holland scoring an own goal. Missed penalties and own goals are perhaps the most frustrating things you can witness as a fan, and we had witnessed both within a few minutes. Hampton had gotten a two goal swing on the cheap.

City kept playing aggressively, however, often sending players forward from the back line. Half-chances came and went. Edwards almost redeemed his missed penalty with a fantastic header from a free kick. This was one of only two shots that Lovett was not able to handle cleanly. From an off-balance position he managed to get enough glove on the ball to flick it over the bar. Although, again, against the run of play, Hampton got a penalty three minutes before the break. This penalty was taken cleanly. City were behind 0-2 in a match that they were dominating in every category except scoring.

In times of crisis the British get a cup of tea. Mark and I settled down on the terrace steps and tried to come up with scenarios that would end in a 3-2 City victory as we sipped our brews. I knew City would keep fighting, and that was some consolation.

Although the two goals lead for Hampton was not really deserved, they had given City plenty of scares in the first half. They are a big, physical team. Their strategy appears to be to out-muscle their opposition and capitalise on any resulting mistakes. They rarely showed much creativity. Their most effective passing was from the keeper, Lovett, who had a booming kick with which he could pick out his own players more often than not. Because of their size, and because their striker duo of Craig Dundas and Lawrence Yaku were big and fast as well, it was effective. They got a third goal not long into the second half off of a bad pass by Marcus Browning. Yaku ended up in a one-on-one with Perrin and scored with ease.

Afterwards City still attacked. And, they attacked well. At the hour mark I saw what I think is the most impressive goal scored by a City player I have seen, especially considering the opposition. Lewis Hogg got the ball off a Hampton mid-fielder in the City half. Although he appeared to be on the verge of passing at several points, he kept the ball and managed to weave through the kicks and tackles until he got the ball into the left corner of the Bristol end. Despite having two Hampton players covering him, he managed a sharp cross in front of goal and Mohamed Kaid, our reserve striker, was in exactly the right spot. It happened in a flash and seemed ran completely counter to the style of the game up to that point. It almost made the eventual defeat worthwhile.

Again, City kept attacking. Kaid managed two bicycle kicks in front of goal. They were on target and, at least for me, totally unexpected. Somehow Lovett managed to be right in front of them each time. Despite the venom Kaid kicked with Lovett stopped them with the composure of a pre-match warm up. With such efforts Kaid deserved another goal. He deserved a hat-trick.

Scuffles began to break out on the pitch. I could not help but think the City players shared my irrational dislike of the Hampton players, but I think the Hampton players gave them enough reasons to be disliked without being irrational. A few minutes before time there was a double red card. Marcus Browning and Ian Hodges both collapsed to onto the pitch clutching their faces. Presumably they had headbutted each other, but both acted fell so theatrically there were no complaints about the refs decision in the stands. Browning is becoming increasingly unpopular in the terraces anyway. Several people around me welcomed his inevitable suspension as good news.

The match ended 3-1. I don't feel City were robbed - Hampton are a difficult side and City should have taken an early lead. I felt, to be honest, a bit of relief. Relief that the match was over. Relief that I probably won't have to watch Hampton play again until next season. Relief that the quality of City's play would beat most teams in the Conference South this year.

As Mark and I walked away from Twerton Park we could hear the Hampton travelling support cheering their team. I can't blame the supporters, and credit to those who came, but I am truly thankful that City is my team and not Hampton. Football is meant to be the beautiful game, but they play it in a dark and ugly fashion. I appreciate a team that plays with fire and spirit, but watching a team win in such a one-dimensional way is not fun. And, besides all this, there is something about them I just don't like. I really did not want City to lose to them. How frustrating!