Swifts Soar To Safety - Heybridge Swifts vs. Phoniex Sports

View from the terrace at Scraley Road

For what was likely to be my last weekend of football this season I had originally picked out Larkhall Athletic against Cinderford Town in the South and West Division of The Southern League but I had to be back in London at reasonable time so I had to rethink and went for Heybridge Swifts' critical home tie with Phoenix Sports in The Ryman League North. Heybridge needed to avoid defeat to guarantee survival which they could have done in midweek had they not lost 4-0 away at neighbours Maldon and Tiptree. This was Phoenix Sports' first season at this level and had adapted well obtaining a mid table finish. I saw them in their promotion season as they drew 2-2 with Fisher FC. The only time I'd watched Heybridge previously was in the same division in my second year in London away at Cheshunt. In the reverse fixture in South East London, Sports had won 3-1. 

Kick off at Scraley Road

The game has an uneventful start with most of the play in the middle of the park. The first chance follows a long Heybridge ball forward which results in a shot which the Phoenix defence is able to block. Phoenix then begin to get on top of the game and a deep cross results in a looping which the Heybridge keeper claims comfortably. The Heybridge keeper makes a great low save when the forward is found from a pull back and the Phoenix players think the forward in unfairly blocked from getting to the rebound. The winger is then able to cut inside and his shot goes just over the bar as Heybridge have the point they require as things stand at half time.

A long Heybridge throw in the first half

Heybridge seem to be dropping deeper at the start of the send half and Phoenix fail to take advantage of a good passing move. Heybridge are then able to break out and although that comes to nothing it sparks the home side into life. The Heybridge winger is able to dance through the Phoenix defence and his shot thunders the crossbar and the rebound is put into the side netting. The home side are then gifted the opening goal. A weak head back is seized upon and the attacker's low shot from the edge of the area makes it one nil. They make is two nil when the winger gets into space and he finds the forward who lashes it in to seal the all important three points.

Match action with the main stand in the background

Heybridge is a long way from any railway station and it seems I took the longest possible route to get there. I took a train to Chelmsford from Liverpool Street and from there took the 31X bus to Maldon, which took half an hour. On the map it didn't look that long a walk but it was and there would be a hefty uphill walk on the way back. The walk to Heybridge took twenty minutes or so. I was still able to get to Heybridge in decent time which allowed me to walk along The Chelmer And Blackwater Canal to Heybridge Basin. At the end of the canal is The Jolly Sailor and The Old Ship Inn both of which are worth the pleasant walk and both served the locally produced Maldon Gold ale. If you don't fancy the walk or want to watch the early kick off then The Heybridge Inn is perfect. The ground is about ten minutes walk away from the town centre. The clubhouse was very reasonably priced and had the sports channels on a big screen. On the journey back I was lucky to catch the 90 bus back into Maldon where I caught my bus back to Chelmsford.  

Heybridge celebrate the second goal