Wealdstone 3 Heybridge Swifts 0

WEALDSTONE bounced back from their midweek energy-sapping Middlesex Senior Cup semi final defeat with a commanding display against the Ryman Premier's basement dwellers.

Gordon Bartlett's men were sunk 4-3 by former Stone Lee O'Leary's last minute header five days earlier, yet they showed no signs of that demoralising defeat at Grosvenor Vale on Saturday.

James Gray's fre kick from 55 yards somehow managed to bamboozle young Swifts goalkeeperJamie Bowyer from distance for the opening goal after five minutes before Greg Ngoyi, fresh from his treble against Hendon, made it 2-0 from an acute angle.

Ryan Ashe's 25 yard free kick shortly before the hour marked wrapped up the win, much to Bartlett's delight.

"Heybridge were 2-0 up at Staines in midweek before they lost," he said. "I spoke to Steve Cordery (Staines manager) and he said they didn't look like a team that were bottom of the league.

"Now whether we made them look like that on Saturday I don't know, but we were very comfortable and made a dozen chances in the first half.

"We felt we needed a third goal to be sure and we got it mid-way through the second half. It was a good response from the cup defeat."

With a strong breeze behind them blowing up the slope, Stones imposed themselves immediately from kick off with Ngoyi forcing Bowyer into a block.

Three minutes later it was 1-0 when Gray's howitzer from distance left him as stunned as the embarrassed Hey-bridge custodian.

Heybridge midfielder Philip Goodwin then headed just over before the hosts doubled their lead in the 16th minute. Ngoyi robbed Swifts of possession with a well-timed tackle, hared down on goal and rounded Bowyer before smashing the ball into the net.

Carl Martin was giving the visitors all manner of problems with some depe, probing runs, but they defended valiantly to keep out efforts from Davis Haule, Chris O'Leary and Alan Massey.

The Stones got the second half off to a slow start, allowing Swifts to enjoy their best spell of the match.

Steven Bourne broke free twice and greater composure would have surely reduced the arrears.

The blue shirts finally calmed the tempo of the game and extended their lead further through Ashe's perfectly executed free kick on 56 minutes.

That allowed for fresh legs with Carl Martin, James Grayand Ryan Ashe making way for Marvin McCoy, Darren Locke and Ben Clarke respectively.

Wealdstone: Thomas, Martin, Chappell, Gray (cpt), Massey, Ashe, Hicks, O'Leary, Haule, Ngoyi, Spendlove.