GUTTED Heybridge Swifts suffered a huge disappointment as they missed out on promotion to the Isthmian Premier for the second time in four years, writes JON LONGMAN.

AFC Sudbury won a disappointing Isthmian North Division play-off final 1-0 with Jake Turner’s goal after four minutes of the first period of extra time when he nodded home at the near post.

Manager Steve Tilson was hugely disappointed at missing out on promotion and the Swifts will do well to retain him for next season as well as the entire squad who have given the fans immense pleasure this season – plus a few scares for the faint hearted.

Tilson said: “The boys gave everything they had in a cagey affair with nothing much between the two teams apart from one lapse in concentration.

“There weren’t too many chances right through the game and in extra time.

“The defeat is hard to swallow as the boys have given everything this year and every one of them has been fantastic for me this year. As a manager that is all you can ask for.”

Swifts rookie keeper Thomas Wray, on loan from Dartford, had kept the lacklustre Swifts in the game, justifying Tilson’s decision not to recall first-choice Callum Chafer for the climax to breath-taking Swifts season.

Wray was beaten for only the second time in nine games as the Swifts, who were denied promotion in 2019 by the FA restructuring of the non-league pyramid, failed to follow up the determination that had earned a 2-0 play-off semi-final at Lowestoft last Tuesday.

The Swifts had been Sudbury’s bogey team in the regular season as the only rival to take four points off the Suffolk side.

However, the Swifts lacked height in attacking mode and Matthew Price failed to win a single header as the visitors insisted on pumping high balls downfield in his direction.

If that was part of Tilson’s game plan then it failed but then he expected to his side would have to deal with Sudbury midfield dictator Harrison Chatting, but the former Swift was an early injury casualty.

Chatting’s departure should have buoyed up the Swifts midfield. Lee Noble and Ben Sartain huffed and puffed but they suffered as once again there was a lack of quality in the final third and that has been Swifts’ Achilles’ Heel on and off this season.

Swifts had 25 minutes of extra time to force a penalty shoot-out but captain Quba Gordon stood out as a lone figure, striding forward to bolster the attack.

Quba was full of apologies after the final whistle but the skipper, his excellent centre back partner Myles Anderson alongside full backs Tyler Brampton and Louie Arrowsmith [who replaced injured Ryan Boswell early in the contest] were almost blameless in denying Sudbury goal-scoring opportunities.