Two-goal hero - Billy Hunt netted twice for Brightlingsea Regent at Potters Bar Town Picture: Neil Payne

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS showed their promotion credentials after storming back from behind to secure a precious 3-1 victory at Dereham Town.

They are unbeaten in eight Bostik League matches – making them the form side in division north – and climbed to second in the table, hot on the heels of leaders Bowers and Pitsea.

Swifts really showed their character after the disappointment of conceding a seventh-minute opener by the hosts’ Joe Gatting.

Kreshnic Krasniqi levelled soon after the hour-mark, Matthew Price grabbed a second and Luke Wilson’s late third gave some breathing space to Julian Dicks’ side.

It was a tremendous result for Swifts, albeit against the basement boys, and they are three points behind pacesetters Bowers, who saw off AFC Sudbury 3-0.

It promises to be a gripping run-in and there is added interest and intrigue because their near neighbours, MALDON AND TIPTREE, are fourth, three points behind, after a 2-2 draw at home to Grays Athletic.

It came after an early opener from the visitors’ Charlie Allen.

Laste Dombaxe, from the penalty spot, and Stephane Ngamvoulou then turned the match on its head but the Jammers were denied by a second-half leveller from Kieran Bishop.

COGGESHALL TOWN are also very much in the mix, sitting fifth, after a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to Soham Town Rangers.

Nnamdi Nwachuku’s early goal got the ball rolling and the Seedgrowers stepped up a gear after the break with further goals from Michael Gyasi and George Cocklin.

The one disappointment in the north division was a 2-0 defeat for WITHAM TOWN at Mildenhall Town.

Mark Ashford’s side had been in great form and this was their first setback since a 3-0 reverse at Tilbury on November 20.

Seven matches had passed since then – five wins and two draws – but it was not to be on this occasion.

The fact that both goals were own goals perhaps summed up their afternoon.

Kevin Coyle and Danny Norton were the unfortunate men to inadvertently put through their own net.

BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT’S exhilarating premier division form continued as they secured a 2-0 victory at Potters Bar Town.

Tom Rothery’s side have now lost just one of their last nine games and rocketed from the relegation zone to 11th, four points off the play-offs.

They are therefore firmly in the mix for a play-off position.

After a goalless first half, Billy Hunt’s penalty just two minutes after the restart set them on the road to victory and the same player added a second in the closing stages.

Potters Bar’s Berkley Laurencin had been sent off ten minutes earlier.

On reflection, Coggeshall’s win was emphatic and Regent are on a roll but our star performance award goes to Heybridge.

They dodged a banana skin, flexed their muscles and showed great spirit to come back from behind.