HEYBRIDGE Swifts plunged to their worst home league defeat for six years as AFC Sudbury cleaned up the three points and left their dressing room spotless after a 5-0 triumph, writes JON LONGMAN.

The Swifts, who lost 8-1 at home to Cheshunt in October 2015, put up a battling display but they didn’t know what had hit them after the Sudbury management triad of Angelo Harrop, Rick Andrews and Danny Laws had given their squad a final warning.

The Sudbury squad got a rocket from the trio before they left the dressing room.

They were furious after the poor displays away to Brentwood and again in the televised FA Cup tie that saw the club’s academy hopefuls floored by Colchester United in front of the BBC cameras.

The players were warned “If you don’t buck up your ideas, there will be changes” as they headed for the pitch.

Perhaps Swifts manager Steve Tilson might like to try the same ploy at Brentwood on Saturday if the Swifts haven’t responded at Romford on Wednesday night.

Sudbury were rocket propelled and Joseph Grinwood scored the first, Joshua Stokes punished another Swifts blunder, new signing Jack Clowsley found himself with a clear run on goal and Sudbury led 4-0 at the break after former Swifts player Reece Harris beat Chafer with a well-struck spot kick.

Swifts had no shots on target in the first half and the fans offered the Sudbury keeper a chair to sit on as he was having a very quiet afternoon despite Swifts lone striker Andy Fennell running his heart out to try to fashion a breakthrough.

Sudbury continued to entertain the crowd of 356 but a spell of Heybridge pressure gave Ethan Mayhew the space to score Sudbury’s fifth.

Swifts are now on the road for the next five games, unless they get a home tie in the BBC Essex Senior Cup.

Ironically, the Swifts face a Velocity Trophy derby visit to Maldon & Tiptree on Tuesday, December 7 (7.45pm) with the Jammers having bagged an 8-1 record away when the sides met in the competition a couple of seasons ago.

The Swifts need to pick up points urgently to avoid being sucked into the relegation maelstrom and probably don’t need the distraction of a cup run.