UNDERDOGS Heybridge Swifts are just one game away from ending a 15-year battle to restore their Isthmian Premier status thanks to two cracking wins in four days, writes JON LONGMAN.

Saturday’s 1-0 win at Felixstowe & Walton, secured by another excellent goal Sam Park goal, saw the Swifts qualify for Tuesday’s North Division play-off final at Lowestoft Town by finishing fourth in the table.

Swifts then won 2-0 in Suffolk to book the play-off final at AFC Sudbury on Saturday (3pm) after their Suffolk rivals trailed Grays 1-0 and 2-1 before winning 3-2.

There was no repeat of the 4-4 draw between Lowestoft and Heybridge ten days earlier but Park put the Swifts ahead on the hour, converting a wonderful build up on the left flank involving Mattie Price and Callum Taylor.

The Swifts, who had failed to get a grip on the first half, confirmed their superiority victory ten minutes from time and a further nerve-jangling nine minutes 25 seconds of time added on by referee Chris Hastings.

Park, a revelation in his number ten role that improves with every game, had a powerful drive parried by Town keeper Warren Burwood and Rob Harvey knocked in the rebound.

The second goal hurt Town and substitute Shaun Bammant should have received more than a yellow for a violent off-the-ball crack that floored Ben Sartain.

Price was so angry that Hastings and his assistants had missed the incident that he was booked and then withdrawn by the Swifts bench, who also appeared to be booked for encroaching onto the pitch in their fury.

Swifts are the only side to take four points off the Suffolk side this season and smiling manager Steve Tilson said: “What a fantastic result.

“We have got Sudbury in the final and that is going to be another tough game, “But look, anything can happen in a one-off game. We will go there full of confidence.”

Tilson’s quiet determination to secure promotion has shone through as the Swifts strive to add another trophy to their history of achievements but they took a few knocks as Town piled on the pressure in search of an early goal.

The Swift’s defence stood firm in the onslaught that saw Town force seven corners but there were no shots on target to test rookie keeper Thomas Wray.

Tilson praised the teenage keeper and the defence that foiled Town in the first half, saying: “The defence was fantastic with Lee Noble in front of them “I thought that Callum [Taylor] did an excellent job aerially for us “The game opened up in the second half. We got more creative, dominated the session and could have won by three or four goals.

“We put our heads in where it hurts and we got a fantastic result.”