Rushden & Diamonds

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Max Porter

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Bath City 2-1 Rushden & D'monds

Bath City marked their home debut in the Blue Square Bet Premier with a 2-1 win over Rushden & Diamonds on Tuesday.

The visitors had silenced Twerton Park early in the contest when Max Porter opened the scoring, but Adie Britton's outfit surged to victory thanks to second-half goals from Adam Connolly and Darren Edwards.

However, it was Diamonds who made the early running and they capitalised on some poor defending to make it 1-0 just six minutes into the match.

The goal came from a Michael Corcoran throw-in that found Rene Howe, who squared the ball to Porter and he stabbed the ball in from close range.

The home team came close to levelling matters on the quarter hour when Dale Roberts made a smart save to stop a potential own-goal from Alan Power, with the ball deflecting off the midfielder from a Gethin Jones cross.

With the half-hour mark approaching, Sekani Simpson's goal-line intervention stopped Lewis Spence from making it 2-0 and the score remained 1-0 in favour of Justin Edinburgh's team at the break.

But just 34 seconds after the restart the Romans were on level terms thanks to a moment of brilliance from Connolly, who stepped in from the right and then powered a left-footed rocket into the back of the net from long range.

Britton's charges shocked Diamonds a dozen minutes later when striker Edwards, deputising for the injured Kaid Mohamed, glanced Hogg's perfectly flighted free-kick beyond the reach of Roberts.

The Blue Square Bet Premier newcomers then navigated through the six minutes of added time to hang onto their lead and pick up a deserved win.

Bath City bookings: Connolly

Rushden & Diamonds bookings: Howe, Stuart, Porter

Att: 876

Ref: Carl Berry