George Dugdale

Bath city 1 Raging Fever 5

Raging Fever brought their campaign to a close with a comfortable victory over Bath City at the Somerset club's Twerton Park ground. Decrepit, vacant and in need of a makeover, Fever fitted in comfortably to their new surroundings before running out 5-1 victors.

For reasons (previously) unbeknownst to man, player-manager Nick Wehmeier opted to play defender Robb Milne up front, with Theo Dominian working off him.

The decision paid off immediately as Milne ran clear to lob the bouncing ball over the advancing goalkeeper and open the scoring.

The lead was doubled moments later after Dan Pear released Dominian behind the Bath defence. The pacey striker twisted inside and out, before slotting home with his favoured right foot.

In a repeat of the earlier fixture between the sides, Fever were three goals to the good in the early stages. Dominian found space on the right flank this time, before cutting the ball back for the onrushing Milne to slot home.

Pear was the next to add his name to the scoresheet as he ran from deep to slot the ball past the goalkeeper with the outside of his right foot.

Milne then completed his hat-trick with a long-range effort that cannoned in off the bar after good work from James Longshaw. The manager's decision had been vindicated.

A decision that was less justifiable was the appearance of Fever goalkeeper James Parker in the left full-back area. Fever's stopper lost the ball in a slide-tackle on the touchline (you are reading this correctly), before making the mad dash back to his goal-line before serious damage was inflicted.

There was one set-back for Fever in the opening period, however, as Guillermo Lopez was injured moments before the interval. This was to be only the start of the Oxford side's injury issues on a day which the FA had ruled rolling substitutions were forbidden.

If Fever had been clinical in the first half, they were equally wasteful in the second. Pear's efforts were thwarted by a last ditch defensive tackle, while Longshaw's left-footed drive was comfortably gathered by the goalkeeper.

Bath then grabbed a consolation goal as Fever failed to track the striker's run in their own area, allowing him the opportunity to slide the ball under the advancing Parker. Mysteriously, the tannoy system which had not been working for Fever's five goals suddenly burst into life.

When Milne was dragged to the ground in the Bath City area, Parker had the chance to give his outfield talents a true exhibition. However, his goalkeeping status was assured as the spot-kick dribbled miserably wide of the upright.

George Dugdale fired wide of the post after nutmegging the centre-back, with Joe Willett, Dominian and Pear also missing opportunities.

Milne's game was ended early after a clash with team-mate Dugdale on the flank, leaving Fever with no replacement. The men in yellow played with ten men for a period, before a Bath City substitute pulled on an Oxford shirt to restore parity. According to the Somerset FA, rolling substitutions in a friendly are no good. Stealing the oppositions players, however, is totally legal.

Pat Wehmeier hooked over the bar at the back post, before Dugdale had a long-range effort headed of the line in stoppage time with the goalkeeper stranded on the halfway line for reasons which were not particularly clear. As the ball came back to the winger, Longshaw bundled Dugdale to the ground, ensuring Fever would not add to their tally.

This was an excellent run-out for Fever at another lower-league stadium and one that ensured the undefeated record on these occasions remains. After the summer break, Fever will be looking to continue this form as the build-up to WorldNET 2012 begins.

Fever: James Parker, Ben Meckiff, Nick Holloway, Pat Wehmeier, Nick Wehmeier, Guillermo Lopez, James Longshaw, Dan Pear, Stuart Burson, Theo Dominian, Robb Milne, George Dugdale, Joe Willett.

Goals:Milne (3), Pear, Dominian.