by DANNY RUST

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS manager Jody Brown has praised Reece Grant for his form in front of goal during an injury-hit season.

The frontman scored Swifts’ opener in the 3-3 draw at Romford last Saturday to register his 23rd goal of the campaign.

And Brown expects his star striker to go on and take his tally past 25 goals before the season comes to an end next month.

The Swifts boss said: “Reece has 23 goals in total now.

“For the first two months of the season, he had a bursa on the back of his knee and probably shouldn’t have been playing.

“But we were short of strikers and so he played on anyway.

“He wasn’t match fit until November and then he pulled his hamstring in January so, especially when you take all of that into account, Reece has been excellent.

“He has been a great find for us and his work ethic has been superb.

“I expect him to go on and get more goals between now and the end of the season.

“If he can go on and get 25 goals or more before the end of the season in a team in the bottom half then I think it would be a great total and go down as a superb season for him.”

Brown would have been delighted as his side kept their first clean sheet in nine games in all competitions at Thurrock on Tuesday, drawing 0-0.

They will now be looking to get back to winning ways when they entertain Ware tomorrow.

Elsewhere, second-placed MALDON AND TIPTREE head to Thamesmead Town while WITHAM TOWN, refreshed after having no game last week, have a home match against Tilbury.