HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS are through to the Essex Senior Cup semi-finals after a 2-0 success against BASILDON UNITED tonight.

Nick Brown set them on the road to victory with a spectacular effort from the right before Reece Grant ensured their progress with a late second at Scraley Road.

Swifts reached the final last year before being narrowly defeated by National League South side Concord Rangers.

But they faced tricky opponents tonight in the shape of a Basildon side - eighth in the Essex Senior League - who had already played four Essex Senior Cup ties.

They started with wins against Wadham Lodge and Saffron Walden before eliminating higher-placed pair Great Wakering Rovers and, most notably, Canvey Island.

After a bright start, the Bees nearly broke the deadlock.

Swifts’ Glen Little was caught in possession but Reece Trantor was unable to capitalise, rushed his shot and saw it blocked by Danny Sambridge.

Basildon keeper Joe Robbins was then called into action, pushing away Phil Anderson’s near-post effort from Nick Brown’s free-kick.

And in a lively opening spell, Sambridge hurled himself to tip over a dipping effort from Trantor.

The ball was then worked forward to Basildon’s Malkai Touissiant but his first-time volley was plucked out of the air by Sambridge.

With the sides trading chances, Heybridge went close next but Glen Little’s curling effort flashed agonisingly over the bar.

It was the hosts who drew first blood just after the half-hour mark.

Little’s brilliant, lofted pass found Brown and his thunderous effort from the right of the area soared into the top left-hand corner.

It was nearly two when Ade Yuseff broke clear down the left but, having got goal-side of the last defender, his low shot was saved by Robbins.

The second half was a tense affair, with the hosts working hard to protect their lead.

Basildon’s Lee Delf went close with an effort that dropped onto the roof of the net, after connecting with a long ball forward.

At the other end, Swifts nearly made it two when George Cole’s low shot was deflected just wide and, from the ensuing corner, Reece Grant’s header was well-saved by Robbins.

A second goal did follow seven minutes from time, though, and it was created and converted by two of their substitutes.

Joshua Sykes played a slide-rule pass to Grant, who burst through and finishing coolly with a low shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Swifts: Sambridge, Ramon, Andrews, Little, Hutchings, Anderson, Baker, Godbold, Yuseff, Cole, Brown.

Subs: Dunne, Sykes, Clark.

Basildon: Robbins, Patterson, Danso, Shave, Whitby, Odedoyin, Skeels, Slater, Trantor, Delf, Touissiant.

Subs: Gilbert, Chaititor, Dewberry, Jalland, Scott.