HEYBRIDGE Swifts responded to the homecoming of Karl Duguid as joint manager with Stuart Nethercott by winning their second successive match — a 2-0 home win against old foes Basildon United, by JON LONGMAN.

The former Colchester United stalwart is back on board and that has eased the pressure on his successor after Swifts lost the first four matches of the season.

The partnership had resumed a week earlier when Swifts won an FA Trophy thriller at Northwood and Nethercott exclaimed: “The band is back together again!

“After his break from the game, it’s great to have Karl back with us.

“As a management team, we feel now that we cover all the bases required in modern day non-league football. This will enable us to take the club forward in these uncertain times.

“It’s a tough job coaching, man managing, recruiting, motivating and analysing players and results.

“When you place all these requirements alongside your day job, it doesn’t give much time to switch off and recuperate.”

Heybridge and Basildon have been rivals since being founder members of the Essex Senior League but the score line does not do justice to a Swifts attack that had a double figure tally of shots on target.

The Swifts strikers were denied time and again by Basildon keeper George Marsh who had a superb afternoon with five point-blank saves.

Marsh kept Basildon in the hunt for a point until the 88th minute when Isaac Nkosi outjumped a posse of Basildon defenders to head home, secure a Swifts victory and lift them to 12th place in the Isthmian North table.

Swifts had raced into a 14th minute lead when Andy Fennell raced onto an perfectly-timed through ball from skipper George Craddock and curled the ball past Marsh.

Swifts man of the match Craddock was the victim of a nasty tackle and insult was added to injury when the ball flew into his left eye to floor the skipper.

The Swifts were benefiting from referee Nathan Oakes playing the advantage rule whenever possible and Marsh denied Jack Adlington-Pile’s shot at extending the lead.

The Heybridge management team was anxious not to suffer a repeat of Northwood’s fight back the previous Saturday and the Swifts increased the pace at the start of the second half.

But they only found Marsh in sparkling form as he denied Fennel, substitute Jay Nash, Ernest Okoh and Manny Osei — and when he was beaten, Billy Purdy cleared Okoh’s shot off the line and Archie McFadden’s shot rebounded off the far post.

Marsh’s resistance was ended by Nkosi’s 88th minute goal and there was warm applause from the crowd of 287 for the five-star entertainment.