Makowski strikes late to win the points at Bath

Slough Town produced a resilient display to claim a superb 1-0 victory away at Bath City, with Wiktor Makowski’s late strike sealing three priceless National League South points in Somerset.

It was a day of significant change for the Rebels. Earlier in the afternoon the club confirmed the departure of Adam Desbois to a National League side, with 21-year-old Watford goalkeeper Alfie Marriott arriving until the end of the season. Marriott was immediately handed his debut as one of six changes to the starting XI, alongside fellow debutant Erion Zabeli, Reiss Greenidge, Dan Roth, Brian Nelson and Luke Holness.

With seven first-team players sidelined through injury and three EDS players named on the bench, Slough travelled with a squad stretched to its limits. Bath, meanwhile, were also depleted, missing key figures including Luke Russe, Will Jenkins Davies, Brad Ash and Owen Windsor, and would suffer further injury blows during the game.

The hosts started brightly and Marriott was called into action inside four minutes, getting down well to save a low effort from Jordan Alves. The young goalkeeper quickly settled, exuding calm in the early exchanges.

Slough responded positively. Zabeli impressed down the right, linking well with Harvey Walker, whose powerful strike forced Charlie Binns into a sharp save. Moments later a corner flicked off Kiki Oshilaja in the six-yard box but drifted wide.

Bath came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half. A free kick from deep found Alex Fisher, who turned smartly and appeared destined to score, only for Marriott to produce a fine low save to his right. It was an outstanding stop from the debutant and proved a key moment in the contest.

The game settled into a scrappy rhythm, reflective of two sides low on numbers but high on effort. Roth slid a clever pass into Makowski’s path on the half-hour mark, though the striker’s first touch just eluded him with only Binns to beat. At the other end, Luke Skinner fired straight at Marriott after being picked out by Joe Raynes.

Slough continued to threaten from set-pieces, Oshilaja and later Gidaree heading over, but clear-cut chances were limited. The sides went in level at the break, with Marriott’s earlier save the standout contribution of a tight first period.

The pattern remained similar after the restart. Skinner saw an early effort blocked before Gidaree again headed over from a corner. Bath thought they had a route to goal when Mitch Beardmore went down under pressure from Marriott, but the offside flag had already been raised.

Scott Davies turned to his bench just before the hour, introducing Tyrique Clarke for Nelson, before Jaiden Drakes-Thomas replaced Holness minutes later. Drakes-Thomas made an instant impact, feeding Walker whose shot was parried into Clarke’s path, but the midfielder fired high over the bar.

As the game entered its final quarter, tension grew. Greenidge and Oshilaja stood firm under increasing aerial pressure, while Marriott commanded his area confidently despite his limited time with the squad.

With ten minutes remaining, the match still seemed destined for stalemate. Then came the decisive moment.

In the 83rd minute Roth launched a long, searching pass from deep that turned into a perfectly weighted ball over the top. Makowski burst clear, showing both pace and composure. Spotting Binns slightly off his line, the striker executed a brilliant lob with the outside of his right foot, the ball arcing beautifully before dropping just under the crossbar.

It was a goal of real quality and, in the context of the squad’s circumstances, immense significance.

Slough nearly added a second when Johnny Goddard wriggled free inside the area and flashed a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, but there was no finishing touch. Instead, the final minutes were about resilience.

Six minutes of added time were signalled and Bath threw everything forward. Reubin Sheppard rattled the crossbar from distance to send a shudder through the Slough ranks. Makumbi, introduced late on for Walker, produced a crucial interception inside the box, while Goddard cleared another effort off the line amid a frantic scramble that even saw Bath goalkeeper Binns join the attack.

When the final whistle sounded immediately after, it confirmed the type of performance and result every manager craves – a gritty, hard-earned 1-0 win away from home when the odds are stacked against you.

The victory lifts Slough to 46 points and keeps them 15th in the table, creating breathing space above the relegation places. Bath, meanwhile, remain 21st and two points from safety, albeit with two games in hand.

Attention now turns to another stern test on Saturday as the Rebels travel to second-placed Hornchurch, buoyed by a clean sheet, two impressive debuts and a result that underlined the character within a stretched squad.