Halstead turned on the style to administer an embarrassing defeat of Heybridge at Scraley Road and move smoothly into the semi-finals for the second year in succession.

Gareth Heath led the charge with a hat-trick, as Halstead, two levels below a full-strength Ryman League premier division Heybridge, gave them an absolute drubbing.

And had it not been for home keeper Darren Placid, it could well have been more.

In the very first minute, Kevin Inglis let go a real sizzler a couple of inches over the bar, which proved to be a sign of what was to come.

Halstead front men Ben Cranfield and Kevin Budge, the former Swifts player, led the home defence a merry dance throughout the game, with Mike Shinn and Danny Barber unable to stem the tide.

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Published Wednesday, January 19, 2005

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