Hellesdon 1 Bungay Town 3

A fine second-half performance brought Bungay a deserved win at Hellesdon in Anglian Combination Division One on Saturday.

They had gone ahead against the run of play in the first half, only for the home side to equalise, but with 20 minutes to go they suddenly found their form and two goals in the last seven minutes were no less than they deserved, to keep their outside chance of promotion alive.

Hellesdon showed their intentions inside the first minute as they fired in a shot from an angle which Rob Howes turned over the bar for a corner. Bungay struggled to make headway in the opening period and Ryan McFadden was in the right place to clear off the line from a goal bound header.

But the Black Dogs took the lead in the 15th minute as Sam Olley crossed to the far post, Kevin Riches headed back into the danger area and Dom Mirner rose to put his header into the bottom corner.

Harley Pluck had a header deflected for a corner but Hellesdon were still having the better of things and sent a powerful volley narrowly wide from the edge of the area before they deservedly equalised in the 34th minute.

A bobble and a misunderstanding gave Glen Spooner the chance to lob Howes from the edge of the area.

Mirner had a chance just before the interval with the keeper out of position but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Goalmouth action was at a premium early in the second half, though Hellesdon fired narrowly wide and for Bungay, John Riches put a 30-yard free-kick over the top, and Kevin Riches controlled the ball soon after, dinked it over his marker and volleyed narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

As Bungay finally found their form and some flowing football, Pluck turned well to fire just wide, Olley rolled another effort just the wrong side of a post, John Riches hit the top of the bar with another great strike, before Mirner and Pluck combined for Mirner to just clear the bar from the return pass.

The purple patch continued, and with seven minute left Kevin Riches’ ball over the top of the defence saw Pluck coolly lob the keeper from the edge of the area.

Pluck headed a free-kick wide before, in the final minute, Mirner used his strength to surge into the area from the left past three challenges to fire the third past the keeper from eight yards.

Hours later Lukaku took a leaf out of his book to fire an almost identical goal for Everton against Chelsea.

Team: Howes, Causton, Hunting, Whiteman, McFadden, Olley, J Riches, K Riches, Perrin (Bone), Mirner, Pluck.

Tomorrow Bungay visit Stalham for a 2.30pm kick-off.