Bath City (1) 4 Bridgwater United (0) 0 – Tuesday 14 October 2025
Francis Hillier Premier Cup 1st Round – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Louis Sweeten scored his first goals for the club as Bath City soared to the Francis Hillier Premier Cup 2nd Round.
The academy product excelled against Step 5 Bridgwater United, opening the scoring with a stunning strike just before half-time.
He later added a second with Brad Ash and Jordan Alves also on target.
Charlie Binns marked his debut with a clean sheet in City’s biggest win at home under Darren Way.
The City manager was dealt with three late withdrawals – Harvey Wiles-Richards and Joe Raynes dropped out with food poisoning and Jake Tabor, initially named in the starting XI, received notification before kick-off that his cup registration hadn’t been completed.
Ben Bament produced the first opening for Bridgwater, capitalising on a Jack Batten mistake before firing across the face of goal with no teammates on hand to tap in.
Luke Russe went closest for City early on, pulling just wide from 10 yards after Alves’ cross wasn’t fully cleared.
Scott Wilson’s piledriver was well taken from underneath the crossbar by Louis Smith, who later easily gathered the striker’s shot on the turn as City started to turn the screw.
Sweeten’s curler from Mitch Beardmore’s lay-off was brilliantly batted behind by Smith and Regan Lashenko’s bravery saw Sweeten and Jordan Tillson denied on the edge of the box, with the son of visiting manager Lee throwing himself in the way twice.
Jason Quick replicated his commitment with a much needed late intervention on Ash after he’d danced inside the area away from a couple of challenges.
Kieran Parselle’s overlapping run and first time cross was met by the head of Sweeten, but he couldn’t get enough power to trouble Smith.
The busy goalkeeper palmed away Tillson’s half volley from the edge of the box and was grateful that Alves’ attempt had the sting taken out of it, enabling a comfortable take.
City stopper Binns juggled Jake Llewellyn’s inswinging free-kick with Batten on hand to clear in his only uncertain moment of the evening.
Just after the board went up to indicate a minute of added time, the Romans put themselves in front.
Sweeten cut inside on the edge of the box onto his right foot, and his perfectly placed strike clipped the underside of the crossbar before bouncing in past the helpless Smith.
It was 2-0 within 20 seconds of the second half. Beardmore was afforded space on the right and his powerful centre was met by Ash, who blasted home from almost on the goalline, his second goal in two games.
Smith did just enough to claim Wilson’s looping header with Sweeten waiting for a tap-in, but the 18-year-old didn’t have long to wait for his second and City’s third.
He was the beneficiary of fine footwork by Ash, who skipped inside from the left and unselfishly pulled back to Sweeten, who easily dispatched from close range.
It was the case of ‘making the most of an opportunity’ for Sweeten, who was set to start on the bench before Tabor’s enforced absence.
Smith produced a decent double save from Ash and Wilson but was left exposed for City’s fourth on the hour.
A glorious crossfield ball by Russe was collected by Alves, who exploited a tiring defence to find himself one-on-one wide of goal.
The midfielder finished well, side-footing into the bottom corner for his first goal since January.
Bridgwater’s Owen Howe was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for a needless lunge on Binns, nearly catching the goalkeeper’s face, in his desperation to chase down an overhit pass.
Ash sliced wide at the other end and was thwarted by Smith’s smart reflexes to his right.
A more unorthodox save by the overworked glovesman kept out Parselle, Smith shifting to his left and keeping the captain’s long ranger out with his knees.
Lashenko volleyed wide for the Robins as they hunted a consolation, with Daniel Dodimead also striking just wide from 25 yards as the City defence appealed for a foul in the build-up.
Way rewarded academy players Tresor Mabika, Owen Pritchard and Sam Stirling a run-out in the dying stages, the latter on debut, as his side saw the game out with ease to clinch a morale-boosting win ahead of a trip to league leaders Hornchurch on Saturday.
Att: 359
City’s Line-Up: Binns, Tomlinson, Batten, Parselle (c), Alves, Wilson, Ash, Sweeten (Pritchard 86), Tillson (Mabika 71), Beardmore (Stirling 86), Russe. Subs not used: Jenkins Davies, Horsell.
Scorers: Sweeten (45+1, 52), Ash (46), Alves (60); Bridgwater – none
City Bookings: Tillson (44)
Officials: A Wilson, J Salt, C Scriven
