Heybridge Swifts 2, Felixstow and Walton United 1

SWIFTS fielded an unchanged starting eleven - with Sam Carter absent through illness - Joe Whitney taking his place on the bench.

Felixstowe & Walton struck an early blow to the Swifts when a free kick from the right found Joe Whight and he headed the ball back across the penalty area into the corner of the net to give the "Seasiders" a 3rd minute lead.

Play was switching to both ends frequently with Swifts seeing many crosses falling loose in the area with no one able to get the all important final touch. Felixstowe went close after 17 minutes when Warren cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that fizzed past the post.

Swifts drew level in the 23rd minute when Louis Arrowsmith won the ball and played a pass into Kieran Jones who took a touch before slamming the ball beyond Robinson - this being the 7th goal of the season for this young talented player and marked the third successive league game in which he has scored.

Darren Phillips was injured after 28 minutes and Swifts fans were concerned that he might have to be replaced - but thankfully he returned to the action after treatment.

The game became a little tetchy towards half time with Whight booked for Felixstowe in the 35th minute - the reaction from Ross Wall also seeing him given a yellow card as well. Five minutes later Ben Sartain also was shown a yellow card. Chances were still coming at both ends and Henry & Phillips went close for Swifts whilst recent signing Hasanally went close for Felixstowe with his shot.

Swifts took an early lead after the resumption - Kieran Jones had a shot blocked but the ball rebounded to him and he laid the ball to Swifts captain Quba Gordon who made no mistake with his second goal of the season (48m).

There was a double substitution after 55 minutes - Felixstowe striker Brown was unable to continue and Darren Phillips (still feeling the pain from his first half injury) was replaced by Callum Taylor.

Felixstowe, to their credit, knew they still had a chance and laid siege upon the Swifts goal, where a series of crosses, corners and free kicks were repelled - some easily but others saw some desperate defending with one chance seemingly certain to end up in the net!

Swifts introduced Andy Fennell in the 70th minute (his 50th Swifts appearance) for Rhys Henry and he used his pace to outrun the Seasiders defence after 72 minutes but saw his shot go narrowly wide.

Felixstowe had introduced Sam Ford onto the field-of-play with fifteen minutes remaining and the former Arbroath player (who had recently returned to the Seasiders for his third spell with the club) was causing Swifts all sorts of problems - particularly from the exceptionally long throw-in's from Seasiders skipper Billy Holland.

Swifts made their final change in the 87th minute when Jack Adlington-Pile replaced Kieran Jones.

Holland went close with a header in the first minute of the five minutes of added-on time and Swifts defended with their lives to see out the hard-fought victory to make it 8 wins out of 8 at home in the League.