HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS 2

AFC DUNSTABLE 2

FA Cup first qualifying round

AN exciting cup tie at Scraley Road saw Swifts fight back from 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go to grab two late goals and a second chance at Dunstable.

The first half was very tight, with few chances for either side as central defenders dominated.

The impressive Jason Becks, for Dunstable, and the returning Phil Anderson, for Swifts, looking especially commanding. A goalmouth scramble in the Swifts box was the closest the visitors went, while Callum Leahy, voted player-of-the- month for August, looking strong in the air.

The second half was a different story as the visitors came out and attacked more and the play became more stretched. Dunstable took the lead when Swifts lost possession on the right and a left-wing cross, initially headed away by Baker, was volleyed home impressively into the top corner past Danny Sambridge by Adiel Mannion.

The game started to get a little bad tempered and with referee George Byrne struggling to retain control at times, yellow cards were soon being shown.

Visiting defender Becks, who had been the best defender on the pitch, was cautioned for a second time and therefore red- carded for dissent following a 12-man scuffle.

This seemed to galvanise the visitors because within five minutes they were two-up when striker and skipper Jermaine Hall fired home a superb half-volley from the edge of the box past Sambridge, who again had no chance.

At 2-0, Swifts looked buried and the chance of a lucrative cup run was seemingly over.

Manager Jody Brown had other ideas, though, and quickly sent on experienced ex-Burnley and Reading professional Glen Little into the centre of midfield alongside the fresh legs of George Doyle.

This had an immediate effect as Little dominated possession, carving out a number of openings.

Two of them fell to striker Reece Grant, who would have been disappointed not to hit the target.

Swifts got their reward when Lewis Dark fired home following a corner with 10 minutes of normal play left.

With the experienced Michael Toner also driving forward from midfield and producing another all-action display for the club he re-joined at the start of the season, Swifts looked dangerous and a goal seemed inevitable.

He picked up possession 30 yards from goal before stepping forward and unleashing a superb low drive past big keeper St Louis-Hamilton to level the scores.

It was drama typical of the FA Cup and with seven minutes of stoppage time played there was still time to grab a winner against a tiring visiting side who were down to 10 men.

Unfortunately, Swifts then lost keeper Sambridge to a straight red card for abusive language to an official in sheer frustration and he will now miss the next three games as a result.

So an excellent cup tie and great entertainment for the crowd before Wednesday night’s replay in Bedfordshire.