With Jamie Godbold banished to the stands following his indiscretions at Felixstowe, Lowestoft were very lacklustre from the outset, writes Terry Lynes.

After an early Kyle Haylock shot was held by Noah Phillips, Lowestoft were lucky to remain on level terms twice in as many minutes.

Firstly the lively Kieran Jones glided past three Trawlerboys defenders before seeing his goalbound shot turned around the post by the diving Luke Holt.

Ross Wall then broke clear and rounded Holt before pulling the ball back to Kojo Apenteng who with the goal at his mercy hit the covering Josh Hazell on the goal line.

Heybridge finally took a deserved lead in the 39th minute but it owed a lot to good fortune as Wall completely missed a cross from Jack Adlington-Pile to leave Holt flat footed as the ball bounced just inside the far post.

Heybridge added a second in the third minute of added time at the end of the first half with Adlington-Pile finding the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Whatever Adam Gusterson said to his troops during the break certainly stirred Lowestoft into action with most of the second half seeing the Swifts penned back into their own half and quite content to protect their lead.

Haylock and Dave Hinton combined to create a chance for Jake Reed but from 10 yards he lifted the ball over the top.

Although Lowestoft were dominating at this stage they had to be wary of Heybridge counters and from one such attack, Wall raced through but a brilliant one handed save from Holt tipped his shot over the bar.

Heybridge were reduced to 10 men with the sending off of Ben Sartain for a second yellow card, one of six issued to the Swifts.

Lowestoft thought they had pulled a goal back when Jake Reed finally turned in a Harvey Sayer cross but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Lowestoft did eventually pull a goal back in the fifth minute of added time as Travis Cole headed in Sayer's corner but could not find an equaliser in the further five minutes of added time.

TEAMS: HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS: Phillips, Nesbitt, Munday, Watson, Anderson, Gordon (sub Kumi 73), Sartain, Wall, Apenteng (sub Albon 41), Adlington-Pile, Jones. Subs (not used): Nixon, Stewart.

LOWESTOFT TOWN: Holt, White (sub Graham Hinton 46), Eagle (sub Aldous 82), Fitzgerald, Cole, Hazell, Haylock, David Hinton, Reed, Sayer, Hipperson. Subs (not used): Jack Atkinson, Beevor.

REFEREE: Mr S Goldup