Bungay’s poor run continued on Saturday as they were beaten at home by East Harling.

Generally the visitors coped better with the difficult wind, but it was poor defending which brought them their winner late on to inflict on the Black Dogs only their third league defeat of the season.

The only saving grace for the home side was that the other three sides with them in the top four of the Anglian Combination all also lost.

With the wind behind them in the first half Harling started well, and tested Lewis Riches with a long range shot, before taking an early lead. Jack Flynn headed on a cross from the right and it went in off the far post with Riches stranded.

A minute later the visitors had a player sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes for dissent, but despite that they saw a corner hit the top of the bar.

Bungay struggled to create clear-cut chances against the wind, but John Riches did find Ash Canham, and he got in a shot the keeper took well low down. Matt James, who replaced Damon Bensley, could not get any power with a side-footed effort when a half chance came to him. Riches powered an effort straight at the keeper but only a great block by Shaun Whiteman prevented Harling going further ahead.

Bungay started the second half well, but again the visitors went close with a snap shot from 25 yards which hit the angle of post and bar before their keeper made a fine block from Dom Mirner’s point blank effort, with Mirner putting the follow-up wide.

Canham put a header from a free-kick narrowly over the bar, but the Black Dogs finally equalised with nine minutes left. Riches was fouled in the area and Whiteman drilled home the resulting penalty.

Craig Hunting, in his 554th appearance, put a header from a corner over the bar, and Bungay were undone with three minutes left as they failed to clear the danger when Matt Johnson’s persistence caused them problems, and he was finally able to poke the ball home.

Bungay Town: L Riches, J Weston, C Hunting, S Whiteman, D Mirner (D Wigger), J Riches, J Knights, B Solomon (A Crossan), T Hunter, A Canham, D Bensley (M James, D Mirner).

Bungay’s next game is at home to Stalham on January 5 (2.30pm).