HEYBRIDGE Swifts bowed out of the FA Cup after losing 2-1 in tonight’s FA Cup first qualifying round replay at AFC Dunstable.

Bernard Christie’s tenth-minute strike put them on the back foot and the same player doubled his side’s lead with an excellent overhead effort in the latter stages.

George Cole pulled one back five minutes from time but, try as they might, Swifts were unable to get back on terms against their Evo-Stik Southern League hosts.

Dunstable, last season’s Spartan South Midlands League premier division champions, now have a home tie against Hampton and Richmond to look forward to on Saturday week.

Brown hoped his side would begin as they ended Saturday’s first meeting between the sides, when late goals from Lewis Dark and Michael Toner salvaged the replay at Creasey Park.

Sadly, however, the opposite applied and they made the worse possible start, conceding so early on.

Christie connected with a ball forward, shrugged aside his marker and scored with an unstoppable shot that whistled inside the near post.

Swifts were stunned and nearly conceded again soon after.

Keeper Danny Sambridge, who had made a smart stop at his near post before the goal, pulled off a great save from a venomous effort but the ball fell kindly for Jermaine Hall.

However, with the goal at his mercy, he fired the rebound against the left-hand post, when it appeared easier to score.

Heybridge settled and were presented with a half-chance after a misplaced header from right-back Courtney Massay.

George Doyle pounced but was just beaten to the ball by diving keeper Richard Perks.

Swifts then fashioned a great chance in the closing stages of the first half but Doyle’s right-wing cross was headed just over by Lewis Godbold.

Brown’s men went into the break knowing they needed to dig out another big performance, just as they had in the preliminary round when winning 4-1 at Royston.

And they made a bright start to the second half.

Godbold saw a glancing header flash wide and then a ball whipped in from the right was deflected just wide of the left-hand post.

The dangerous Doyle then went close with a long-range effort from the right that had to be turned behind by Perks.

Tempers frayed in the latter stages and most players were involved in a melee in front of the Dunstable dug-out.

Heybridge then fell further behind when Christie scored again on 78 minutes.

The striker connected with a right-wing cross and saw his stunning overhead effort drop over Sambridge.

Cole’s great strike from inside the box sparked hopes of another dramatic finale and a free-kick deflected just wide but, sadly, it was not to be.