Bath City (2) 5 Street (0) 0 – Saturday 31 January 2026 – Francis Hillier Premier Cup Quarter Final – Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Jordan Alves scored four of Bath City’s five as they romped to Francis Hillier Premier Cup victory over Street.
The three division gap between the sides told as the Romans made light work of a Western League side for a third round running, reaching the semi-finals with 13 scored across three ties and none conceded.
Alves’ quartet, completed with an added time penalty, made him the first City player to score four in a competitive game since Nick McCootie in February 2015.
Alex Fisher was also on target in a straightforward success, seizing a rare start with Brad Ash and Owen Windsor injured, alongside ineligible duo Jake Tabor and Moses Alexander-Walker.
In City’s first Francis Hillier Premier Cup tie on a Saturday since 1981, manager Darren Way started academy products Louis Sweeten, Owen Pritchard and Zion Thompson, with another four on the bench.
Street, 14th in Jewson Western Premier, were immediately on the back foot with Fisher’s header comfortably taken by Liam Kingston in a controlling opening from the hosts.
The keeper’s next action was to pick the ball out of the net.
Jakob Dickens’ ball forward was miscontrolled by Fin King-Smith, allowing Owen Pritchard to pounce.
He laid off to Alves who did the rest – cutting inside of two defenders with ease before firing into the bottom left corner from 20 yards out of Kingston’s reach.
Despite the pitch increasingly cutting up, City played some tidy stuff and they were rewarded with a second on the half hour.
Beardmore played the ball back to Dan Greenslade wide left, and his first time delivery saw Fisher beat Archie Heywood in the air with his header sneaking inside Kingston’s left post.
Charlie Binns was called into action seven minutes before the break when the overlapping Zeph Collins nearly caught him out at his near post, a slight deflection forcing him to tip behind for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, a series of ricochets eventually led to Callum Laird tapping home, but he was flagged offside.
Zion Thompson shot too close to Kingston after being set away by Beardmore as the academy striker looked to make a name for himself on his home debut.
He also failed to connect with Greenslade’s teasing ball towards the back post towards the conclusion of a dominant opening 45.
Fisher was replaced by Dimi Athanasiou just shy of the hour, allowing Joe Raynes to push further forward.
Back from suspension, the Bathonian’s smart run off the ball from Beardmore’s pass preceded a flashing shot which flew over the angle of post and crossbar.
Moments later City had their third. After Pritchard won the ball back from a goal kick, Raynes cleverly slipped it through to Thompson in the penalty area.
Preston Hopgood did exceptionally well to initially block, but Thompson kept a cool head to square to Alves, who took a couple of touches before belting home from close range.
A flying save from Kingston momentarily halted Alves’ hunt for a hat-trick, the keeper springing high to tip over, but he was left red-faced as City’s number seven claimed his treble on 74 minutes.
The midfielder skipped away from a few tired legs in the penalty box before making room to shoot, blasting home under Kingston from six yards to claim his first treble for the Stripes.
Blake Bennett’s introduction from the bench meant City ended the game with seven academy products on the pitch, and they were left to stand and admire Alves’ completing his four goal haul in added time.
Receiving the ball wide right from Raynes, Alves squeezed between two Street defenders before being unceremoniously chopped down by Dickens in the penalty area.
It left referee Jake Woolley little option but to point to the spot, and Alves rifled into the top right corner to cap off a fine display.
Att: 361
City’s Line-Up: Binns, Raynes, Greenslade (Stirling 78), Parselle (c) (Bennett 80), Alves, Fisher (Athanasiou 57), Sweeten, Beardmore, Pritchard, Thompson, Putman (Mabika 78). Subs not used: Batten, Horsell, Russe.
Scorers: City – Alves (15, 60, 74, pen 90+2), Fisher (30); Street – none
City Bookings: none
Officials: J Woolley, J Drew, J Knowles