Heybridge Swifts’ boss Jody Brown is looking ‘up rather than down’

The Swifts travel to fifth-placed Bowers & Pitsea tomorrow evening (7.45pm kick-off), hoping to extend an unbeaten run stretching to five fixtures.

“The club has been in transition for quite a while, and when I came in, about a year ago, we were rock bottom,” explained Brown.

“We have a little buffer between ourselves and the bottom three, but to be honest I am looking up rather than down.

“We tend to play well against the top teams, which shows that we are looking forward. I think that bodes well for next season.

“We have beaten the likes of Maldon & Tiptree (league leaders), Bury and Cheshunt this season, and drawn with Brightlingsea, Hornchurch, Tilbury and our next opponents Bowers & Pitsea.

“In fact, only Thurrock (5-0 home defeat in November) from the top teams have turned us over this season.”

The Swifts rallied to draw 1-1 away at 12th-placed Tilbury on Saturday, salvaging a point via Reece Conway’s 71st minute own goal from George Cole’s corner.

Tomorrow’s hosts, Bowers & Pitsea, meanwhile, claimed the notable scalp of Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday, ending the Jammers’ 100% home record (16 wins from 16 starts) with a 3-2 win at Park Drive.

“The conditions at Tilbury were horrific,” explained Brown.

“The pitch was awful. It was a real leveller, and it became a battle of characters, and an absolute scrap.

“But we continue to make a steady improvement.

“We haven’t had a lot of wins – we have drawn a lot of matches, and missed some late penalties – but we have been proving hard to beat and we have been playing well.

“We drew 2-2 recently with Bowers & Pitsea (January 14). They are a good side, with plenty of attacking options, and it should be a good playing surface,” added Brown.

Front-runner Luke Hornsley missed Saturday’s game at Tilbury, due to suffering a minor injury in a car accident, while left-back Jack Cawley was ill. Both could return tomorrow evening.