New Dereham managers Adam Gusterson and Ollie Willis tasted defeat in their opening game.
The former Magpies players – who had been in charge of Harleston Town – were appointed in midweek following last Sunday's departure of Neal Simmons.
It was always likely to be a baptism of fire against one of the league's high-fliers – managed by former West Ham and Liverpool defender Julian Dicks – and so it proved as they went down 3-1 at home.
Jay Eastoe-Smith made his first start of the season in a line-up that also included the returning Sam Borrer.
Dereham got off to a dream start, going ahead after just eight minutes after keeper Chris Haigh failed to hold Owen Murphy's fierce 25-yard drive, leaving Joe Gatting with an easy tap-in. Minutes later they came close again when Eastoe-Smith headed Danny Beaumont's corner across goal to Gatting and his header was cleared off the line.
Heybridge flex their muscles when Matthew Price's point-blank effort was saved by keeper Elliot Pride following Chris Millar's cross.
Pride was soon in action again to deny Kreshnic Krasniqi after Lewis Johnson's poor attempted headed clearance. As the pressure continued Pride again showed his class, producing a wonderful double save to keep out Millar's volley and then Elliot Ronto's follow-up. Dereham recovered and Adam Hipperson tested Haigh with a long-range drive.
But Dereham's lead disappeared in the 63rd minute after they lost possession on the right. The ball was worked inside to Krasniqi who hit a low drive past Pride from the edge of the area.
Jamie Forshaw saw a low drive deflected for a corner while Hipperson combined well with Rhys Logan, whose low shot was hacked clear.
But Heybridge went ahead in the 76th minute when Matthew Price headed home Krasniqi's centre and it was game over in the 84th minute after more poor defending allowed Luke Wilson to head home Jay Siva's free-kick.
Dereham: Pride, Johnson (Quantrell 53), Murphy, Hinton, Eastoe-Smith, Frary, Beaumont (Logan 60), Borrer, Gatting, Forshaw, Hipperson. Subs not used: Ebbage, McLeish.
Heybridge: Haigh, Ramon-Carreno, Siva, Kendall, Adeyemi, Wilson, Krasniqi, Adlington-Pile (Walker 73), Ronto, Millar, Price. Subs not used: Claridge, Craddock, Martin-Sorondo, Morgan.
Ref: P Quick. Att: 323
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