HEYBRIDGE Swifts striker Ross Wall’s season came to an abrupt end following his sending off ten minutes from the end of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Brightlingsea Regent, writes JON LONGMAN.
The report from referee Charlie Roberts confirmed received by Swifts club secretary Steve Crisp confirmed that Wall had been dismissed for violent conduct in an off-the-ball incident and he will now serve a four-match suspension.
Worse news for the Swifts is that Wall will miss the last two games of the fruitless Pitching In Isthmian north division season - Saturday’s home game with Wroxham being followed by a short trip to Basildon United on April 27 - plus the first two games of next season.
Crisp confirmed: "Ross was dismissed for an off the ball incident and will therefore miss the last games of the season."
Wall was initially the Swifts hero as he scored his seventh goal of the season to put the visitors back in contention for at least a share of the points after they trailed 2-1 at the break.
Regent had gone 2-0 ahead inside 21 minutes with former Swift Marley Andrews bagging Regent’s second goal.
Swifts reserve team goalkeeper Ellis Royce had been beaten twice on his Swifts debut as the sixth player to wear the number one shirt for the First Call Community side this season.
However, it was a significant day for the Royce family as it was gloves on for Ellis, the nephew of former Scraley Road keeper Simon who remains Swifts record sale for £35,000 to Southend United.
It was gloves off for Wall who began the Swifts fightback with a reply in the 28th minute much to the delight of the significant travelling support in the North Road crowd of 298.
Once again Swifts faced an uphill struggle, being forced to come from behind after Rob Harvey had scored a consolation goal in the 5-1 midweek defeat at Walthamstow who took advantage of Swifts keeper Noah Phillips being injured to take hold of Swifts sixth place in the table.
The momentum on Saturday was with the Swifts and Eman Okunja struck the Swifts equaliser seven minutes into the second half.
However, Wall turned from hero to villain ten minutes from time as Swifts clung on to take a point from the game when they had looked as the more likely winners.
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