(Ryman League Premier Division)

Current Swifts' caretaker managers Liam Cutbush and Tony Adcock have now officially applied for the joint post as a permanent partnership and with the full support of the players, after four wins in four games, including last week's Essex Senior Cup match at Leyton Pennant, they are firm favourites to be given the still daunting task of helping their side avoid relegation.

They have brought some stability to the club, which is still bottom of the division, but with three recent league wins they are now closer to other teams in the danger zone.

This latest success on Saturday, against high-riding Chesham, was hard earned but shows that the current Swifts' players can escape from the bottom sector of the league.

With Chesham, now managed by former Billericay Town boss John Kendall, they are the form side of the league, so this game was always going to be tough, especially with Swifts' skipper Ben Lewis suspended.

Chesham showed their quality in the first half but with Gary Waters and Nicky Haydon simply outstanding at the centre of the Swifts defence it became a half of containment with no chances or goals at either end at the break.

The second half began as the first had ended, Ian Wiles and Alex Fiddes working hard and tackling well on the flanks to give Swifts some hope of scoring.

The game though came alive in the 64th minute with a controversial penalty which was awarded against Haydon and converted by Martin Fox for Chesham.

Swifts supporters sat back and waited for the floodgates to open, but now the Swifts do believe in themselves, and and they dug deep to fight back, winning the respect of their long suffering supporters.

Nicky Simpson's cross eluded the Chesham defence for Ross Taylor to prod home an equaliser on 75 minutes.

At 1-1 Swifts would happily have settled for a draw but somehow it became even better.

Neil Grice wriggled his way through the Chesham defence and his 25 yarder clipped the bar.

In the dying moments of the game a long range Grice free-kick was touched onto the post by the keeper and Simon 'sharpshooter' Parker popped the rebound home to send the crowd away delirious.

Chesham were a good side, swift and pacey approach work, but Banks had barely a save to make.

But it was a magnificent battling display from Swifts, who deserved their reward with their hard work, and are now back in the amongst the pack at the foot of the table.

What a game, what a result, what entertainment, what emotion!.

Heybridge Swifts: Banks, Fiddes, Wiles, Waters, Haydon, Gillespie, Taylor, Parker, Caton (Simpson 68 minutes), Grice, McLean. Unused substitutes: Warwick, Streetley.

Swifts face another tough match tomorrow (Saturday) when they visit Ryman Premier Division rivals Canvey Island, (kick off 3pm).

The following Satur-day (December 18), Swifts entertain Hampton & Richmond in another Ryman League Premier Division match.

and need points from both games..

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.