Bungay Town name new interim management team

Sean Payne (Image: Archant)

Bungay Town have appointed Craig Hunting and Sean Payne as joint interim managers following the resignation of Tim Clarke.

They will be in charge for tomorrow’s game at home to Hellesdon, when the Black Dogs will be looking to build on last week’s hard-fought 2-2 draw at Wymondham Town, and will continue to run the first team until a permanent manager is appointed.

Team captain Hunting has been a regular in the team for many seasons and has played 467 first team games. Payne has played 85 games, and has recently been helping with the first team. He also had a spell as Reserves manager.

Club chairman Shaun Cole said the club was still seeking someone to take on the manager’s role permanently, and this was an interim measure, but he was confident the two could keep the Black Dogs on course for a top-half finish in the Anglian Combination division one, to which they were promoted after finishing as division two champions last season.

“The club owes a great debt of gratitude to Tim Clarke and his assistant Stu Vincent for getting us back into senior football during a highly successful three-year spell in which they were in charge,” Cole said. “We greatly appreciate their efforts and fully understand their reasons for stepping down. There will always be a warm welcome for Tim and Stu at the Maltings. But we move on, and look forward to a good run of results under Craig and Sean.”

A goal deep into added time salvaged a point for Bungay at Wymondham in a game they should have had won much earlier.

Most of the drama was concentrated in the final 15 minutes after the home side had led with a first half goal. But the Black Dogs, missing several players, were certainly worth at least a point.

They dominated the first 20 minutes. Ryan McFadden drove a low shot narrowly wide in the second minute, Kevin Riches put a header straight at the keeper from a free-kick and then Dom Mirner put another free-kick narrowly wide with the keeper stranded.

Mirner should have done better for Bungay with another header, before Wymondham went ahead against the run of play as the defence failed to clear the ball properly and Jodi Peacher, who had a short spell with Bungay last season, lashed the ball into the roof of the net.

At the start of the second half Craig Hunting landed a cross on top of the bar, before powering in a header which brought an acrobatic save from the home keeper. But at the other end Shaw made two great blocks in quick succession and McFadden dived to head a goal-bound effort off the line as Wymondham threatened.

But Bungay were worth an equaliser and it finally came after the keeper made a save from a header and then turned aside McFadden’s follow-up. From a Mirner corner A Lowe flicked the ball on for K Riches to score from two yards.

But straight from the kick-off Wymondham regained the lead as a lack of communication in defence ended with Darren Arterton’s shot taking a deflection to loop over Shaw.

Shaw had to come off his line to boot clear in another Wymondham attack, but Bungay laid siege to the Wymondham goal and in added time it paid off. Mirner played in another free-kick which the keeper turned on to the bar and McFadden thrust himself forward to nod in the rebound. The goal brought an angry protest from Wymondham team, who surrounded the referee, resulting in their keeper being sent off for dissent and their linesman being booked.

Team: J Shaw, S Olley, C Hunting, J Riches, D Lowe (S Payne), L. Houghton (B Wilson), K Riches, R McFadden, D Mirner, A Lowe, D Wilby.