HEYBRIDGE Swifts needed a successful spot-kick from substitute Kieran Jones in time added on to secure a late 2-1 win over New Salamis, writes JON LONGMAN.

Victory ended a run of two defeats that had seen the injury-hit Swifts slip out of the Pitching In Isthmian North Division play-off places to sixth.

The midweek 2-1 defeat at Redbridge had been doubly sour as Swifts captain Quba Gordon suffered a hamstring tear before the scorer of the winning goal admitted that he had punched the ball into the net.

Worse followed on Saturday when a defensive clanger let Panny Boxer put the visitors ahead in the opening moments of the second half.

New Salamis continually tested the patience of referee Joe Burgess who merited top marks from Swifts secretary Steve Crisp because he stopped the fire spreading to the Swifts.

When the official dismissed Tommy Boxer midway through the second half, the offender delivered a barrage of abuse before taking an extremely long time to exit the pitch.

From the resulting free kick, Jack Adlington-Pile brought the Swifts level and manager Steve Tilson observed: “We went 1-0 down despite dominating large parts of the game.

“It was a good header by Jack who got across his defender to equalise.

“Luckily, we got the penalty - it was a penalty - and a fantastic finish from Kieran [who had been felled] to seal the points.

“At the end of the day, it’s about getting the result and that’s what we got.

“I have said it on numerous occasions that we have got to be better in the final third.

“Jack had a fantastic chance in the first half but screwed it wide and Lewis [Watson] had a chance that my mother might have scored. He said ‘Don’t mention it’, but I have to because it was easier to score.

“As I keep saying to the players, you have to score when you dominate.

“We had enough chances to win two games and we left it until the death to get the result.

“I am really pleased to get three points because, truthfully, we had a goalkeeper [Callum Chafer] who could not kick a ball. Luckily, he didn’t have much to do.

“Fair play to him because he has gone out there and done a job for us.

“Another plus for us is that we did not pick up any more injuries.

“The biggest plus was Ross Wall getting through nearly 90 minutes and he did a fine job up there for us. We have missed him.”

Next up for the Swifts is a challenging visit to free-scoring Bury Town on Saturday, followed by the rearranged fixture at Wroxham and then Brentwood Town at home, on Saturday week.