IT looked as though the footballing gods had played a hand as Tim Monsheju fired Heybridge Swifts into a late lead against Grays Athletic in the Bostik League division north derby at Scraley Road.

Monsheju had only joined Swifts from their Essex rivals during the week and his strike gave his new team a 3-2 lead in the final of the 90 minutes.

However, the gods had one last twist as Grays recovered from that setback to go up the other end and win a penalty that Kieran Bishop fired in to make it 3-3 at the end.

The game had seen Heybridge twice take the lead as goals in the fifth and 37th minutes by Juan Luque and Ruel Sotiriou put them ahead.

They were pegged back both times, though, thanks to goals from Jamie Slabber before the break and Barry Hogan just three minutes after it as the game was set up for its exciting finale.

Elsewhere in division north, WITHAM TOWN showed the confidence in their squad as they bounced back from the disappointment of conceding a late goal to lose on New Year’s Day by winning 2-0 at home against Haringey Borough.

Adam Flint’s team took the lead in the fifth minute as Chinedu Osadebe put them ahead and the points were made safe by an Elliot Ronto strike in the second half.

In the premier division, BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT took a point from their trip to Metropolitan Police.

Olli Robinson put the hosts ahead in the 11th minute, but it was a short-lived lead as Aaron Condon levelled things up within three minutes and that was how it stayed until the end.

Met Police did finish the game with only ten men, though, after the sending off of Lloyd Macklin in the 90th minute.