MATTHEW Price is all set to return to attempt to upset his former employers at Heybridge Swifts after making a successful second debut for neighbours Maldon and Tiptree, inspiring his latest club to an exciting 2-1 win over Cambridge City at the Maldon Stadium on Saturday, writes JON LONGMAN.

Price, who has also played for Canvey and Brentwood in recent seasons, is always in the thick of the action and his return to face the Swifts in Saturday’s FA Trophy first qualifying round tie promises to be a humdinger.

His late equaliser on Saturday set the Jammers on a climb to a play-off place as they hit back after conceding a 17th-minute opener to another former Jammer George Smith in testing conditions with gale-force winds spoiling the action.

Cambridge were good value for their interval lead as they returned to Essex, having opened their season with a 1-1 draw across the Blackwater estuary at Heybridge.

But Price’s 100 per cent commitment to the Jammers cause would no doubt have been noted by Heybridge’s assistant manager Adrian Whitbread among 173 spectators.

On a spying mission because the Swifts had a blank Saturday after being eliminated from the FA Cup, Whitbread departed with his notebook on 75 minutes and he missed an action-packed conclusion to this epic Isthmian North Division clash.

The Jammers huffed and puffed for 84 minutes until Price fired them up, grabbing the ball from the back of the net as part of his celebration.

Price was booked three minutes later as the Jammers pressed for the winner and he was replaced by Max Joliffe moments later to avoid further punishment.

The visitors were thrown into confusion by Price’s strike and Kien Connolly, on a season-long loan from Colchester United, headed home the winner six minutes into time added on after the ball had been headed off the line.

Former Jammers keeper Tom Middlehurst had flapped at a cross moments earlier and the home side had missed the open goal.

Middlehurst had also taken the ball off Price’s toe when the much-travelled striker threatened to add to his tally.

Trailing 2-1, Cambridge forced a corner from the restart and Smith forced home what he thought was a face saver at the third attempt to get the ball over the line.

However, the Jammers appealed to the referee to consult the linesman on the clubhouse side of the ground who had raised his flag.

The assistant referee said the ball was outside the quadrant when the corner kick was delivered and the referee disallowed the goal amid scenes of bad tempered clashes in the goalmouth and among club officials on the touchline.

Once order had been restored, the referee ordered the corner to be retaken and blew the final whistle as soon as the kick as airborne.

Now the scene is set for Price’s return to Heybridge in the Trophy tie on Saturday (3pm).