The Swifts started brightly and might have taken a 15th minute lead when McCafferty tested United 'keeper Dwayne Nelson from 25th yards from a smartly taken free-kick.

And McCafferty went one better 11 minutes later with what turned out to be the winner. The spot-kick itself was awarded when Darren Lockhart was adjudged by referee Raymond Crangle to have impeded Shane Coney just inside the area, receiving for his trouble a straight red card and once order was restored McCafferty calmly sent Nelson the wrong way.

However, rather than let their heads drop, the stunned hosts proceeded to take the game to their visitors and almost levelled six minutes from the break when Noel Anderson brought out the best in Alvin Rouse with a fierce volley.

The Swifts had opportunities to double their advantage through Timmy Adamson and Alain Emerson before, midway through the second half, Rouse once again saved his side with two stops in quick succession to deny Gavin Taggart and Lee Colligan.

Then, as the clock counted down he somehow got his hands to a close range Nathan McConnell header before, in stoppage time, he thwarted Colligan again with a stunning one-handed save.