United went into the match expecting a hard challenging encounter against an in-form Heybridge who, in recent weeks, had beaten both Dagenham & Redbridge and St. Albans City at Scraley Road. As it turned out, United 'won' their easiest point of the campaign. For entertainment value on the Richter scale it's unlikely the needle moved off zero and there was more fun in just trying to locate the ground in the Essex backwaters!
Apart from the odd goal-kick and occasional backpass, Gary Phillips didn't have one save to make all afternoon. The only threat to United came from Taylor and McClean, a big number 11 who looked like a bulky John Barnes. But with Allan Pluckrose and Danny Honeyball not giving an inch, and Paul Armstrong fighting every loose ball, the Swifts were well and truly put out of their stride.
Chances were few and far between - all to United. Midway through the first half ex-Duck Colin Wall diverted a Gary Crawshaw drive for a corner, and from Pluckrose's inswinging kick Cliff Hercules headed just wide at the far post. A minute from the break Steve Heard put Armstrong in the clear and keeper Kingsley Banks saved his low cross-shot.
On 57 minutes Darren Grieves hooked an Armstrong cross just wide and ten minutes later Banks saved well from Bobby Highton. In the final minute substitute Jermaine Matthews beat two men and passed to Crawshaw who appeared to lose control on the hard bumpy surface and Banks got down to save.
