BUNGAY, following their first match of the season defeat on Tuesday, have no game tomorrow but are at home to Sole Bay on Tuesday (7.30pm), and next Saturday entertain Premier Division Dersingham Rovers (2pm) in the Anglian Combination Senior Knock Out Cup.

BUNGAY, following their first match of the season defeat on Tuesday, have no game tomorrow but are at home to Sole Bay on Tuesday (7.30pm), and next Saturday entertain Premier Division Dersingham Rovers (2pm) in the Anglian Combination Senior Knock Out Cup.

The U18s are at home to Kirkley & Pakefield on Thursday (7.45pm).

Long Stratton 2 Bungay 1

Bungay were given a taste of what will be required back in senior football as they slipped to defeat in their opening Anglian Combination Division One game at Long Stratton on Tuesday.

The home side were sharper and more positive throughout, and Bungay had keeper Jimmy Bligh to thank for several fine saves which kept the margin down to one goal.

Black Dogs' manager Richard Daniels gave competitive debuts to Alan Kennedy, Cai King and Neil Renaut in a 4-4-2 formation which saw Kennedy partner Tom Amiss up front, with King and Callum Jones as the two wide men.

Bungay started in positive fashion, Kennedy heading wide from Jones' cross in the second minute. After six minutes, Kennedy and Amiss combined to put King clear down the left, and from his low cross Amiss' shot was deflected wide.

However, the resulting corner was cleared, and Bungay were caught napping as Kelvin Willimott broke away down the right before crossing for Sean Moss to head Long Stratton ahead, beating Bligh from close range at the far post.

This spurred on Long Stratton, who began to dominate possession, with Bungay looking edgy and unable to get their passing game going.

Bligh made a sharp save from Willimott after 29 minutes, and a minute later Carl Harwin's shot came back off the bar with Bligh beaten. Six minutes later Willimott again broke clear but hit his shot over, and three minutes before the break Bligh did well to tip over a long-range free-kick.

Bungay brought on Luke Field to replace Kennedy at half-time, and they began to see a bit more of the ball in midfield. Bligh again did well to save from Harwin after 49 minutes, and a minute later Bungay were level.

Paul Hunter's pass found King in space on the left, and he calmly chipped the ball over the keeper and into the net.

Both sides were working hard to gain the upper hand, and it was the home side that got the decisive breakthrough after 56 minutes.

Harwin broke clear and Bligh brought him down right on the edge of the box. The referee decided the foul was outside the area, and Bligh got away with a caution.

But Bungay's relief was short-lived, as James Barnes fired home the free-kick, his low shot going under the wall and leaving Bligh stranded.

Paul Hunter shot wide from the edge of the area as Bungay pressed hard to get back into the game, but it was the home side that finished the game more strongly, Bligh again pulling off two fine saves to prevent Stratton increasing their lead.

Bungay: Bligh, Daniels, Hunting (Sub: Thawley), Henwood, Lowe, King, Renaut, Hunter, Jones, Kennedy (sub: Field), Amiss (Sub: Ling)

Bungay Reserves started their league fixtures with a dour goalless draw at home to Long Stratton Reserves.

In a game of few clear goal chances, Brendan Gough's shot was well-saved and Ainsley Baines' header went wide from Matt King's cross.

They were Bungay's closest efforts, although Ben Clitheroe's header near the end went just over.

At the other end, the visitors struck the crossbar early on, and Craig Guy had an assured debut in the Bungay goal, pulling off a couple of good saves, including one in injury time to keep the scores level.