Matthew Price bags a brace as Heybridge Swifts win at Hertford to move up to fifth

Heybridge Swifts, red shirts, ready for kick-off at Hertford during tonight's Bostik North victory at Hertingfordbury Park. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Heybridge Swifts continued their relentless surge towards a play-off place with a strong away performance at Hertingfordbury Park tonight.

Skipper Lewis Godbold headed home the opener on 17 minutes, and Matthew Price settled any nerves by adding a second inside the first minute of the second half. Price also fired home the third in the 82nd minute.

As a result of this victory, and defeats for rivals Maldon & Tiptree and Canvey Island, Jody Brown’s men have risen to fifth spot, and are now six points clear of seventh-placed Maldon with a game in hand.

Hertford actually registered the first goal attempt of the evening, Ricky Light volleying over the bar on 14 minutes.

But just three minutes later and the Swifts had their noses in front. The initial corner by Sam Ashford was half-cleared, but Ashford returned a cross into the danger zone and Godbold rose high to head home in emphatic style from just outside the six-yard box.

The hosts tried to respond and Emmanuel Osei, their most dangerous attacker, was not far adrift with a 20-yarder which drifted over the bar.

At the other end, a promising Swifts attack ended with Price having a shot on the turn charged down at point blank range by defender Jason Beck.

Livewire Godbold came close to adding his second, with the last move of the first period. His header from a free-kick ballooned over the bar.

But the Swifts did not have to wait long to double their lead.

Less than a minute into the second half, Price burst through on goal and although his first shot was well saved by keeper Charlie Mann, the striker bundled home the rebound.

Price nearly netted a quickfire second on 51 minutes, only for Mann to divert his stinging drive into the side-netting, but he duly smashed home the Swifts’ third with eight minutes left.

HEYBRIDGE: Jessup, Ramon, Cawley, Adbulla, Henshaw, Baker, Godbold, Eyong (sub Griffiths, 64), Price, Krasniqi (sub Siligato, 83), Ashford.