WALTON Swifts finished as losing finalists in the first Essex Sport Walking Football Community Cup, hosted by Essex University.

They were represented by player-manager Steve Chalmers, Dennis Beere, Bryan Kilsby, John Kilby, Arthur Mitchell, Steve Gentry, John Price, Eddie Smith and Will Boyd, with standby support from Roger Mansfield, John Lake and John Burns.

The initial stage of the competition was as two groups of four teams.

The winner of each played the other runner-up in a semi-final, with the winners making up the final.

Swifts drew 0-0 with Rowhedge and Halstead Town.

Next up were the Harwich Hornets and two great low finishes by Smith made the final score 2-1.

The Walton side finished second in their group and went through to a semi-final against Foxash, where a well-taken Dennis Beere penalty separated the sides and gave them a 1-0 victory.

The final pitched Swifts against the much-fancied Colchester Phoenix (formerly Colchester United).

With not much between the teams, Colchester scored a very early goal and managed to hang on until the final whistle.