HEYBRIDGE Swifts can turn the corner following their poor start to the season.

That is the view of former boss Julian Dicks, who quit as Swifts manager on Thursday night.

Promotion is his ultimate target but Swifts are rooted to the foot of the Pitching In Isthmian Division One North after Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat to Stowmarket Town, in the first league game on the new 3G pitch.

Andy Fennell equalised with his second goal in four days, having levelled late on in the contest at Bury Town on Saturday before Jake Chambers Shaw snatched Bury’s winner.

Fennell shone against Stowmarket too but it was not enough to secure a victory as he and Jack Adlington-Pile peppered the Stowmarket goal with a volley of shots.

Speaking prior to his departure as Swifts boss, Dicks said: “Losing the first four games is hard to take for me, and losing to Great Wakering in the FA Cup was one game where we should have done better.

“I know that we have had poor performances due to all the comings and goings of players, but that is not an excuse because we have not performed to the best of our ability.

“There were good signs at Bury on Saturday after we were reduced to ten men.

“I thought the boys showed great character and I believe the return of Andy Farrell, and hopefully a couple more players coming in, will help us to turn the corner.”

Dicks had been talking to his Braintree opposite number Ryan Maxwell at Braintree and several members of the Iron squad will be loaned to the Swifts.

Midfielder Gabriel Pokowski made his debut on Tuesday but the Swifts management need to settle on playing their best team soon and address concerns of the 210 spectators on the terraces about the quality in some areas of the squad.

When Ollie Brown added Stowmarket’s scrappy winner to an excellent strike from Robbie Sweeney with 12 minutes still to play, Heybridge needed a game changer to snatch a late point but nobody on the bench appears to be a likely candidate.

It was three minutes before striker Dan Walker replaced Matt Hayden but the Swifts needed more than a fresh pair of legs and maybe could have taken swift action earlier, as Stowmarket had built up a head of steam with four corners.

Challenging games are coming thick and fast, starting with Aveley away on Saturday (3pm).

The next home game brings Maldon and Tiptree to Scraley Road in the rearranged Bank Holiday derby that was switched to Saturday week because of the 3G installation.

Then there is a tricky midweek journey to Felixstowe on September 28 (7.45pm) followed by the visit of Canvey Island on October 2 (3pm) before North Division leaders Barking visit in the FA Trophy on October 9 (3pm).

It is difficult to see where the Swifts can pick up points before they get marooned at the bottom of the table.