Swifts earned a vital point at Claremont Park on Monday evening with a fine draw at former manager Garry Hill's St Albans that moved the Scraley Road club out of the bottom three for the first time since the beginning of the season.

Swifts Ben Lewis and Dave Streetley were both booked for challenges in the opening minutes because, as expected, the match was hotly contested.

It proved to a keen contest with the promotion hopeful home side, who suffered a surprise defeat on Saturday against Hendon, trying to pick up maximum points while Swifts needed every point for different reasons.

Heybridge won a free kick to the left of the penalty box. It was clipped in by Wayne Adcock and Lomas in the home goal had to punch clear.

The Heybridge midfield duo of Adam Gillespie and Dave Streetley worked hard and Gillespie found time to show his skills in sending a fine through ball that split the St Albans defence only for Nicky Simpson to be judged offside.

Having picked up an early booking for a welcoming challenge on the prolific Steve Clark, Lewis had given the talented player no room and it was not until the 30th minute that he managed his first shot on goal.

He raced onto a ball over the top using his speed to get clear of Lewis, but the Swifts defender chased him hard and did enough to force Clark to fire the ball over the bar.

Swifts keeper Kingsley Banks used all his experience and ingenuity as he raced out of his box to head clear as Haworth threatened to latch onto another ball over the top.

Just before half time superb handling from Banks saw the Swifts keeper leaping high to reach a dangerous cross and hold onto it as he crashed to the ground.

In the 56th minute St Albans took the lead as former Swifts defender Ashley Vickers headed home a corner at the near post.

Swifts failed to crack and held firm to be rewarded in the 75th minute when Simpson showed superb skill to get to the by-line and his low cross was poked home by Colin Wall.

St Albans' Steve Clark was then sent off for an off the ball incident which saw Lewis end up in a heap with his face bruised.

Tempers flared in a hectic finale with both sides having chances to win it but the draw was a fair result and it lifts Swifts out of the bottom three.

Heybridge Swifts : Banks, Cranfield, Cutbush, English, Lewis, Adcock, Simpson, Gillespie, Streetley, Parker and Wall.

Substitutes: Heasman, Devine and Bond (none used).

After Saturday'ss match against Enfield, Swifts are in Ryman League action again on Tuesday when they travel to play Bishops Stortford.

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