HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS boss Mark Hawkes insists his players are still brimming with confidence - despite being knocked out of two cup competitions this week.

The Scraley Road side were left licking their wounds after bowing out of the FA Cup against Boreham Woodm, at the fourth qualifying round stage on Saturday.

They then fielded a “mix and match” side and lost 4-1 at Lowestoft on Tuesday, to crash out of the Robert Dyas League Club.

Nevertheless, Hawkes is sure he and his team-mates have plenty more to look forward to this season.

And he insists morale is still high, despite a deflating few days.

“We’re full of confidence,” said the Swifts boss, whose side have an Essex derby at WITHAM TOWN today.

“The cups have been a nice distraction and fortunately we haven’t found ourselves too far behind in the league.

“We’ve only played one or two games less than most others, so we’re in a great position and this cup run can only give us extra belief.

“The league’s our bread and butter and that’s what we’re all in football for.

“Let’s get on with it.

“Hopefully now we can win five or six games in a row and then come the end of the year we’ll be in the mix.”

Swifts are ninth in Ryman One North, despite having played fewer games than nearly all their high-flying rivals, due to their involvement in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.

Witham are likely to play new signings Sam Baxter and Luke Olley.

The pair, a goalkeeper and defender respectively, have already caught the eye for Garry Kimble’s side.

MALDON & TIPTREE head to Waltham Abbey.

Long-term injury victims Lewis Dark and Lee Boylan are on the comeback trail but boss Terry Spillane confirmed that he has released Nick Reynolds, Ade Osifuwa and Ryan Wade.