Bath City boss Adie Britton was quick to see the benefits of his side's performance despite City crashing out of the FA Trophy to high flying Blue Square Premier opposition Torquay.

"When you lose games against better opposition that's when you learn. Clearly they are one of the best sides in non-league football. I would be surprised if they are not back in the football league at the end of the season."

Having held the Gulls for fifty minutes, Britton had been up beat about his sides performance. "It all went to plan in the first half and for most of the time we restricted them to half chances. However, at the start of the second period we knew we had to reorganise because Gethin Jones could not go on much longer as he had a bad groin strain. Whilst we were doing that they scored".

Ironically the Gulls goal came after City's best spell of the match. The impressive Sekani Simpson completed a fine run down the right before whipping in a cross. Stuart Douglas got a touch on the ball only for keeper Scott Bevan to pull off a fantastic save.

Minutes later Torquay were in front when Lee Manson picked up a rebound and gave City keeper Steve Perrin no chance.

City then shuffled the pack, bringing on Dave Gilroy for the injured Jones. After only three minutes on the pitch Gilroy latched onto Adam Connolly's pass only to put his shot wide.

As City pressed for an equaliser it was inevitable that they would leave holes at the back. With just over twenty minutes to go Simpson was left as the solitary defender as Torquay broke down the middle of the field. As Matt Green drew the defender he flicked the ball to his left for an unmarked Roscoe Dsane to fire home.

Adie Britton also revealed that keeper Paul Evans had successfully had a knee operation, and the ex Sheffield Wednesday keeper would be sidelined for eight to ten weeks.

● Bath City's home match with Basingstoke Town, rescheduled for tomorrow night has again been postponed.