Under new manager Peter Taylor Maldon & Tiptree sprang the surprise of the day in the Isthmian North on local rivals Heybridge Swifts. 

Maldon welcomed two new signings, Mike Finneran and Harry Phillips, who both started.

With Heybridge looking up in the league and Maldon looking down the home crowd were certainly expecting a comfortable afternoon. Nothing could have been further from the truth and the game started in the way which it then panned out. Both sides huffed and puffed in regards to creating chances. Plenty of endeavour was on show by both teams but both keepers were rarely brought into any sort of action. 

In the first half Heybridge's Ben Sartain had a shot comfortably saved by Maldon keeper, Tommy Dixon-Hodge. The best chance of the half came on 32 minutes when from a set piece Maldon's Brad Ihionvien flashed a header just past the post with Heybridge keeper, Callum Chafer, rooted to the spot and left praying the ball would fall the right side of his goal. Luckily for Swifts it did and Maldon had come by far and away closest to breaking the deadlock. 

Half time came with a 0-0 score line.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first.

Heybridge had a corner which resulted in a goal mouth scramble. Quba Gordon was unable to get any shot home and Maldon scrambled the ball clear.

The game changing moment came in the 70th minute. Maldon played the ball well down their own left before Harry Phillips played the ball across to Ronnie Bates on the edge of the Heybridge penalty box. Bates still had a lot to do but was so cool when he slotted the ball into the corner of the net to put Maldon 1-0 up. 

The home side seemed to lose any belief they had and with The Jammers defence being very resolute no further chances were created. 

The final whistle came and it was the one main moment of quality from the Jammers that gave them at 1-0 win.

We The away team and supporters were left to celebrate on the pitch of their fiercest local rivals as the home crowd quietly filtered away. 

Maldon are still left in the lower reaches of the league but with this result, as well as other recent performances, they are left looking upwards. Maldon gave a solid all round team performance and won the game to make a mockery of both teams league positions. 

Maldon next face Hullbridge Sports in a home league game on Monday 2nd January.