The biggest defeat of the season so far came to the Romans' Somerset rivals Taunton Town

A dismal first half performance contributed to Bath City suffering their biggest defeat of the season.

Somerset rivals Taunton Town took full advantage with Jay Murray and Scott Robinson (2) netting on a wet evening at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park.

Scott Wilson wasted a glorious opening and Donovan Wilson was denied a penalty in an improved second half.

But a disjointed first left too much of a mountain to climb as Gary Johnson’s side gained revenge for defeat at Wordsworth Drive in September.

Adam May was brought in for his debut in one of three Bath City changes from Saturday’s defeat at Chichester.

Town started the better with Javan Wright forcing Harvey Wiles-Richards into his first save on six minutes, throwing himself to his right to repel.

Murray tested the City stopper again moments later after he sidestepped away from Ollie Tomlinson but shot against the feet of the advancing goalkeeper.

Tomlinson headed Jordan Tillson’s corner too close to Lloyd Irish before Alfie Moulden pulled just wide for the visitors having been afforded too much room outside the box.

Ex-City centre back Nick Grimes weaved into room on the edge of the penalty area and tested Wiles-Richards with a low drive and Jack Rice sliced high and wide in continued pressure from the visitors.

The Romans finally earned some territory with May volleying wide after Tillson’s free-kick was half-cleared, and Callum Wood’s goalbound effort blocked by the well placed Grimes.

But few could dispute that the opening goal for Taunton was deserved.

Scott Wilson sold Harrison Minturn short with a one-two on a foray forward, and with him out of position Moulden sprayed a perfectly weighted pass for Murray.

He had time to pick his spot and did so with aplomb, shooting across Wiles-Richards into the bottom corner.

The keeper was cautioned in the aftermath in unsavoury scenes during the celebrations and the Taunton players were full of joy again in first half added time.

Wiles-Richards launched the ball forward for Donovan Wilson, who appeared to be held to the ground by Jamie Richards.

Referee Daniel Lamport, centre of controversy for the win over Malvern Town in September, waved play on and Taunton took advantage.

Tylor Love-Holmes, Wright and Murray linked up with the latter’s teasing ball to the back post slammed home by the onrushing Robinson.

Scott Bartlett made a change at the break, withdrawing Harry Parsons for Reuben Reid to match Taunton’s 4-4-2 and try and breach a defence that had conceded an average of two a game in the league despite their top half status.

Reid nearly halved the deficit within 30 seconds of the restart.

The forward held his line for Tillson’s ball to the right and moved inside of Max Davies but his curler lacked power with Irish batting away with ease to safety.

City spurned a glaring chance to equalise on 64 minutes.

May won the ball in midfield for Donovan Wilson, whose perfectly weighted pass between Niall Thompson and Davies left Scott Wilson in the clear.

He rounded the grounded Irish but slightly off balance fired wide on the angle when he should have scored.

Donovan Wilson skewed wide having brilliantly created half a yard before Irish denied him with his feet after substitute Matt Bowman helped the ball in from the left.

The heavily involved forward had a strong penalty appeal turned down on 79 minutes.

Tillson spotted the late run of the forward who remained onside and tried to take the ball around Irish.

He did so successfully and the veteran keeper appeared to swipe his ankle with an outstretched arm, but referee Lamport waved away appeals.

Wiles-Richards had been a virtual spectator for the second half after a busy first but with City switching to a 3-4-3 shape in desperation to rescue something, it left more gaps at the back.

Moulden’s daisy cutter was easily claimed before his speculative effort from inside the centre circle from Wiles-Richards’ misplaced distribution saw the keeper backtrack and glove behind.

The resulting corner led to a scruffy third.

Moulden’s whipped in delivery bypassed players at the near post and despite Wiles-Richards’ efforts, Robinson appeared to get the decisive touch in a scramble to force home his third goal in two games against City this season.

Irish produced a double save from Reid after Wood’s volley into the area kept pressure up but the striker couldn’t get a telling connection to trouble Taunton’s stand-in keeper.

The Peacocks saw out lengthy added time to record just a second clean sheet in the league this term and claim their biggest win at Twerton to complete a miserable few days for Bartlett’s team, who failed to score at home in the league for the first time since his arrival.

Line-ups: Bath City: Wiles-Richards; Raynes (Fisher 76), Tomlinson, Minturn, Wood; May, Tillson; Boldewijn (Bowman 67) Parsons (Reid 46), S Wilson; D Wilson. Subs not used: Greenslade, Elawar. Taunton Town: Irish; Thompson, Grimes, Richards, Davies (Nunn 90); Wright (Mendonca 90), Moulden, Love-Holmes, Rice; Robinson, Murray. Subs not used: Billington, Lord.

Referee: Daniel Lamport

Attendance: 877

Star player: Harrison Minturn