A bright Easter has renewed hopes of a top six Ryman League Premier Division finish for Billericay Town.

A bitterly disappointing February and March, during which they collected just 10 points from 11 games, had led to fears that John Kendall's men would end a remarkable first season back in the top flight in 12 years out of the top half of the table.

However, they launched a late two-goal recovery to draw 2-2 at relegation-threatened Bromley on Saturday and yesterday clinched all three points for only the fourth time in 1999 with home success over their Essex rivals.

With all around them surrendering points, Billericay remain in seventh spot, but decent results from their four remaining matches could yet see them finish at least one place higher.

Yesterday's Bank Holiday defeat, in front of a 710 crowd at New Lodge, once again pushes Swifts far too close to the danger zone for comfort.

To be honest, the visitors had only themselves to blame for failing to get any reward from this match.

With former Braintree man Nicky Simpson causing all kinds of problems down the right, they were certainly the dominant early force.

Simpson inspired the move from which Simon Parker had an effort touched wide by Dave Root, in the home goal, after 16 minutes.

Then, 60 seconds later, Simpson himself forced Root into an acrobatic turn over the top. Simpson again went clear of the home rearguard soon afterwards, but Marc Sinfield came to the rescue with a saving tackle.

However, Billericay took the lead on the 36 minute mark when recent striker signing Steve Portway crashed home an unstoppable 25-yard shot, which moved wildly through the air when caught by the wind, and gave visiting goalkeeper Kingsley Banks no chance. It was his seventh goal in the last seven games.

From that point on, Heybridge surrendered territorial advantage to Billericay for long periods.

Midfield man Steve Blaney made it 2-0 after 55 minutes. Portway and Martin St Hilaire played a big part in the build-up which saw recent big-money signing Kieren Adams win a brave header in the box.

Even so, Swifts dithered at the back and allowed Blaney to miss out on his first attempt to shoot, fall over, but pick himself up to poke the ball home past Banks.

With on-loan Colchester striker Tony Adcock being shut out by Sinfield and Chris Moore at the heart of the home defence, there looked no way back for Swifts.

However, all that changed late on when that man Simpson got involved in the action again. With five minutes to go he robbed hesitant Town full-back Billy Goldstone - Town claimed their man had been fouled - before shooting home past Root.

Then, as the game moved into injury-time, Moore was judged to have fouled Simpson on the edge of the box and Alex Fiddes rattled the crossbar with his quickly-taken free-kick with Root stranded.

Said Billericay boss Kendall: "It was another fantastic strike by Portway, but we could have thrown it all away by being caught half-asleep in the closing stages."

New kid in Town - New Lodge chairman Rod Moore welcomes record signing Keiran Adams

(Right) In control - Billericay Town's Jon Hooker in action during his side's 2-1 home win over Heybridge

Pictures: STEPHEN LLOYD

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