Heybridge Swifts 5, Tilbury 1

A DISASTROUS opening 25 minutes from Tilbury saw Dockers brushed aside at the Aspen Waite Arena and John Coventry's side, that appeared to have turned a corner with a win against Bury Town the previous week, is now the subject of more questions.

But they will have little time to ponder them and Coventry has to find the answers as the Dockers are back in action on Monday evening for an Isthmian Velocity Trophy third round derby at Aveley.

Coventry described himself as 'shell-shocked' after the heavy defeat, saying 'I just didn't see that coming, we have been getting better', while Swifts boss Steve Tilson was, in contrast, in ebullient mood afterwards exposing the qualities of confidence and how wins were bringing his side closer and closer together.

Darren Phillips celebrates his brace against Tilbury. Pictures by Alan Edmonds.

One of the members of that close-knit side is a player Coventry mentored as a schoolboy and took into men's football. It would be fair to say, after showing such early promise that saw him thrust into men's football as a 16-year-old with East Thurrock United, that Darren Phillips has had a turbulent time since then.

His days at East Thurrock ended after several instances of ill-discipline – a trait which followed Phillips as he passed through several clubs, including two spells Tilbury where in total he made 59 first appearances.

His career has been blighted by a number of red cards, one of which came in his final match for Tilbury a year ago at Dereham Town. He even spent some time away from the game but now seems finally to have found his feet at Swifts where he has become a mainstay of the Heybridge squad.

And he was to play a prominent part in the win against Dockers.

Things had already started badly for the visitors with Keiran Jones continuing his recent run of goalscoring with the game's first strike on two minutes.

On 16 minutes Phillips got himself on the scoresheet and two minutes later the game was beyond the reach of Dockers after Rhys Henry scored.

Rob Harvey and Rhys Henry.

On 25 minutes Phillips grabbed his second from the penalty spot and the final nail in Dockers' first half coffin was hammered home by Rob Harvey on 36 minutes.

If there is any consolation for the visiting fans, they did win the second half, thanks to a goal deep in added time from Darnell Kithambo, who has now scored for Tilbury in three successive matches - one chink of light in an otherwise bleak day for the Dockers.

The win lifts Heybridge to third in the Isthmian North, while Tilbury are nine points behind in 14th.