Heybridge show heart but Grecians go through

If we were to discover the principles of time travel and head back to the Aspen Waite Arena, Heybridge, on 22nd April 2017, landing at around 3.45 PM, we’d find Jody Brown and his Swifts side 2-0 down. They were not only staring directly at the abyss but had seemingly already started the decent. Only a miracle could stop them from starting the forthcoming season at County League level.

Thankfully fate intervened, and goals from Lewis Godbold (2) and George Cole rescued the points and the season, leaving the side one goal- one single, solitary goal- above the drop zone and with the opportunity to move on and consolidate in the Bostik North Division once more.

What they’ve done since looks nothing like consolidation.

When they kicked off the new season with a 2-1 home victory over Mildenhall Town back in August, nobody really expected that they’d win fifteen of their next nineteen games, losing only once. It’s unlikely that anybody expected them to win through five rounds of the FA Cup, to beat higher level sides Metropolitan Police and Tonbridge Angels in the cup or the FA Trophy, or to score fifty seven goals whilst conceding only nineteen. Speaking to this website two months ago, and after he had won the August Manager of the Month Award, Jody was quite clear that his target was 50 points and survival. “I’m ambitious, but I’m not predicting success” was the most outspoken we could get him to be.

Yet here we were, on the first Sunday in November, watching Heybridge Swifts run out at St James Park, Exeter, in the First Round of the FA Cup, comfortably in eighth place in the league (and with enough games in hand to go seven points clear at the top were they to win them), and with the manager stating that his side were ‘a million to one’ against winning the game. Some things, at least, never change. Jody was far from over excited at the prospect of cup success- and although you could understand his reluctance to predict an upset, what with a lengthy injury list and mounting fixture congestion, Swifts supporters certainly didn’t feel the same way.

As the first of them completed their long journey from Essex- two hundred and fifty four miles according to the sign welcoming them outside the ground- the sun shone brightly, the blue sky was dotted with the odd white cloud, and it looked like a perfect Indian summers day. Sadly photographs were unable to capture the temperature of the wind blowing around St James Park, so looks were rather deceiving. The away fans today were being housed in one corner of the main stand, as the ground was now two sided, a new family stand being constructed along the far perimeter and a new away enclosure behind the goal, due to open at the start of next season. The roof panels had come off the old stand this week, and ninety one years of history were scheduled to bite the dust over the next fortnight.

From the moment they entered the ground the last thing that the away supporters were worried about was the cold; indeed such was their enthusiasm that they’d probably not have noticed had it snowed. Enthusiasm wasn’t their only virtue, either- if you could bottle confidence then you’d have been able to procure an everlasting supply. Four levels apart? We scoff at your four levels. We’re Heybridge Swifts and we’re having a disco!

Providing the rhythm for the Essex disco was Josh, a season ticket holder and drummer, and his friends Max, Liam and Brandon- photograph above, from right to left- were delivering the backing vocals, quite clear that the Swifts were about to go marching in and winding up the home support for not turning out in greater numbers (the fact that it was still three quarters of an hour prior to kick off was irrelevant). This quartet typified the belief of their three hundred and fifty colleagues. “Two-one to Swifts,” predicted Max. “One-nil,” countered Josh. “If we play the way we have recently we’ll win- and after all, we’ve got nothing to lose.” They were all confident of promotion, too. Asked about the impact of fixture congestion on the squad, they were quite clear- indeed, their facial expressions suggested that it was rather a daft question- that this wasn’t an issue. “We’ve got strength in depth now, more than we’ve ever had before. We’re definitely going up!”

At this point manager Jody Brown wandered over to say hello and the entire away contingent got somewhat distracted, before regaining their composure. Asked about the fact that their confidence contrasted Jody’s rather more negative expectations, they all laughed. “He always does that. It’s just his way of reducing the pressure. But he’s doing a brilliant job.”

One thing in Swifts favour was perhaps the fact that the Grecians form over the last month had been anything but sparkling. After travelling about as far North as you can get before finding yourself in Scotland (Carlisle) on 7th October and heading back with a victory, City hadn’t managed a single win from their last four matches, and had lost their last two home games; 4-1 to Luton Town and 1-0 to Port Vale. Whilst they were still in fourth place in League Two the home fans were looking a little pensive and knew they were on a hiding to nothing today- nobody would be surprised were they to win, it would be national news were they to lose to a side four levels below.

A myriad of small folks waving flags bigger than they were- and accompanied by a lion who appeared to have slightly over-indulged at the all you can eat antelope buffet- welcomed the players onto the pitch at three minutes to two. Swifts were in black and white, City in their usual red and white, and immediately the entire away contingent were on their feet in rapture. That rapture should have lasted around twenty five seconds, as straight from kick off a City attack ended with Jayden Stockley rising above a static defence to head goalwards, but he somehow put the ball over the bar with the goal gaping and panic was averted. Three minutes later and Reuben Reid found himself twelve yards out with the ball at his feet and time to spare, but managed somehow to scuff the ball wide when he should have scored. Swifts were living rather dangerously, and continued to do so as on seven minutes Stockley again was first to a cross, at the far post this time, but headed wide once more. By now the away fans were looking rather less confident, but their side soon settled and began to move the ball around the way we’ve grown used to, without looking particularly threatening. “Sit down, if you hate Maldon” reverberated across the away end.

And then, a break. Joan Luque got away down the left, crossed low, the ball ran to Harrison Chatting, he shot…and it sailed over. The ball had run slightly behind him, and try as he might he couldn’t quite get over it. But it was a start. A minute later, another break, and Luque twisted and turned on the edge of the box but couldn’t quite find shooting room. Swifts were suddenly in the ascendancy and poured forward, Ben Sampayo getting into the box and firing in a shot which was deflected wide for a corner. “We love you Heybridge, we do,” sang the supporters, and their side were giving them a great deal to love.

On the half hour a barrelling run from Sam Bantick was ended in a foul- and yellow card- thirty yards out. The free kick brought more pressure, some nifty play from Luque and Luke Callander on the edge of the Grecians box, but still Christy Pym in the home goal remained untested. Luque had the chance to change that statistic on thirty five minutes, but his shot sailed over.

The home fans were beginning to express their discontent. “Come on, move the ball,” cried an exasperated fan in a trenchcoat, on his feet at the back of the main stand, whilst the grumbles from the home terrace were audible at the other end of the ground. And then, another Swifts chance. Great work from Bantick led to the ball breaking free to Chatting, and he fired goalwards, but it was down the middle and Pym was able to hold without too much difficulty. The first half drifted to a close, the deadlock unbroken, and after a dodgy first ten minutes Swifts had more than held their own.

The second half started rather tentatively, but it was the home side who had the first significant chance in the fifty second minute. A corner was knocked back to an unmarked Stockley, and his fierce shot had to be cleared off the line, but cleared it was, and the danger passed. “Jody Brown’s red and white army,” rang out, as Luque once more tormented the home defence, his shot deflecting for a corner.

And then the breakthrough- and sadly for Swifts fans, it came to Exeter. After one corner had been cleared from just under the bar, a second was met by Stockley and on this occasion he was able to power his header into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season. “Come on Heybridge,” retorted the throng, undaunted, and their side tried to respond, as the rain which had begun to fall was blown into the stand by the strong crosswind.

On the sixty third minute it was two, and Stockley had taken his tally for the season to six. Another corner, and once more he was left unmarked, this time to pick his spot and fire a shot home. Now, suddenly, it seemed that there was a mountain to climb, and momentarily even the most optimistic Swifts fans were stunned into silence. It could easily have been three only two minutes later, Stockley forcing an excellent save from Danny Sambridge, and it seemed as if the Grecians had the tie wrapped up.

But Jody Brown’s side are made of stern stuff, and up they went again. A burst forward, a cross, and there was Sam Bantick, six yards out, halving the arrears with his fourteenth goal of the season. The drum came to life, the choir awoke, and they believed once more. Their passion spilled out onto the pitch, and a challenge by Stockley on Ryan Henshaw led to a pushing and shoving match which saw the forward spoken to- but not booked, to the disgust of the away support.

The game ebbed and flowed from end to end, both sides looking dangerous. A Swifts header saved, a Grecians overhead kick dropping just wide, both goals were threatened- but it was the away side that needed to score. “Take a gamble Heybridge, let’s go,” came an anguished cry. It was a supporter, not Jody Brown, but there was still time. Sadly, however, the time was used better by Exeter. Liam McAlinden, who had been the earlier exponent of the overhead kick, got away from his man down the left and fired a shot towards the near post. It seemed as if Sambridge had it covered, but somehow, agonisingly, the ball squirmed from his grasp and ended up behind him, the assistants flag signifying that it had crossed the line. 3-1, three minutes to go, and surely game over.

Sambridge still had time, however, to make up for his error by saving one on one against Stockley, but although Swifts never gave up they couldn’t find a way back in the time available. Full time, and the Grecians were through to the Second Round draw.

According to the matchday programme, eight former players have made the journey from Scraley Road to St James Park. After today’s performance, perhaps Paul Tisdale might want to bring in a few more; for much of this match it was difficult to tell which side was from the Bostik North and which from League Two.

There are still many months of the campaign to go, and it’s perhaps a little early to be making predictions, but this one is fairly safe. If Swifts fans once more have interest in the table during the very last game, it will be at the right end, not the relegation places.