Defeats at Stalham on Saturday and at home to Corton on Tuesday have left Bungay facing the drop into junior football.

Stalham Town 2, Bungay Town 0

ANOTHER good first-half performance could not prevent Bungay slipping to their 10th successive Anglian Combination Division One defeat at Stalham on Saturday.

The injury-hit Black Dogs created chances and should have been ahead at the interval. But as in the previous week’s game at Bradenham, they were unable to turn their possession into goals, and when the home side went ahead early in the second half they were unable to get back into the game.

Stalham finished the stronger side and clinched the points with a second goal near the end, leaving Bungay still six points adrift at the bottom of the table, with six games left.

Sam Olley made his first start of the season in midfield and it was a good ball by him that set up a chance for James Youngman early on, but he was unable to control the ball on the hard, bobbly surface.

Then a good ball from Youngman was just too strong for Grainger Perez-Hunt as he burst through.

Steve Batt got in a timely tackle when Stalham attacked, but it was Bungay who were on top, and Youngman again got clear only to be pipped to the ball by the outrushing keeper.

Then a Dan Shimmon free-kick found the striker at the far post, but his shot from almost on the byline found the side netting.

Stalham went close when a free-kick from out on the left floated narrowly wide of the far post, before a fine ball from Stuart Campbell again put Youngman clear, only for the keeper to close him down quickly and block his effort.

Early in the second half Joe Mcdonald got in a good cross to the far post that found Youngman just offside.

Six minutes into the half Stalham went ahead against the run of play as the defence failed to clear properly Stalham got a fortunate rebound and Nick Meale bundled the ball past Nick Whiting.

Leading scorer Dan Andrews, out for two games with a back injury, replaced Perez-Hunt.

Bungay had a let off soon after as Meale got in a shot on the turn which came back of the far post into the grateful arms of Whiting.

Andrews got in a couple of threatening runs, one setting up Campbell for a chance which was easily cleared. Then Shaun Whiteman found McDonald with a fine ball and he got between two defenders but could not direct his shot on goal.

Two minutes from time a goal out of the blue clinched the win for the home side as Louis Genias tried a shot from the right of the area that flew into the net past a startled Whiting.

Team: N Whiting, M Lowe, S Batt, S Whiteman, D Lowe, J McDonald, D Shimmon, S Olley, S Campbell, J Youngman, G Perez-Hunt (D Andrews).

Bungay visit Caister United tomorrow while the Reserves are away at Hemsby.

Bungay Town 0, Corton 2

BUNGAY’S fears of dropping into junior football increased on Tuesday evening as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Corton in the Anglian Combination Division One.

They were a goal down inside two minutes and conceded another in the second half soon after Danny Wilby was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Now, with five games left, they will need to win at least four to have hopes of staying up.

The opening goal came after a right wing move which finished with Taylor High driving in a low shot from 10 yards.

As Bungay tried to make amends Danny Wilby saw a free-kick tipped over the bar by the keeper, and then Dan Andrews tried to weave his way through only to be stopped by the final defender. From a corner, the ball was cleared to Dale Smith, who volleyed narrowly over from the edge of the area.

Nick Whiting made a good save low down to keep out a Corton shot. Right on half-time Bungay put together a good move which saw Wilby fire narrowly wide.

Dan Shimmon tested the Corton keeper early in the second half, and at the other end Whiting comfortably held a header, before Smith brought a fine diving save from the keeper with a 20-yard free kick.

But Bungay’s hopes of salvaging something from the game diminished when Wilby was dismissed for a second booking resulting from what seemed an innocuous challenge.

Within four minutes Corton were 2-0 up. Whiting did well to block a close range volley but the ball fell kindly for Kevin Oldham to score form close range.

Whiting made a great save to keep out Oldman when he jinked his way through the Bungay defence, and was also equal to another low drive with four minutes left.

The Black Dogs continued to strive and in added time Smith brought another diving save from the keeper with a well struck free kick, but the result was Bungay’s 11th successive defeat.

Team: N Whiting, M Lowe (G Gook), S Batt, D Smith, S Olley, J McDonald, D Shimmon, D Wilby, J Youngman (R Read), D Andrews, C Jones.