As unseasonal warmth bathed Brewers Green Lane Diss Town were looking to avenge a 5-0 hammering suffered at the hands of AFC Sudbury Reserves earlier in the season.

Manager Jon Abbott had new signings James Baughurst, Keats Stains and Callum Bray available and welcomed back captain Paul Betson. who missed the defeat at Downham Market the previous week.

The opening minutes suggested it would be a high scoring affair as Charlie Webb went close with a header from a Sam Last cross and Miles Sargeant tormented the home defence with some threatening runs down the left.

However, defences quickly prevailed and first half chances were few and far between. Kieran Hagan was as busy as ever for Diss, a constant threat with his pace and trickery, and Baughurst did the simple things well and added solidity to the Diss midfield on his home debut. It was he who put the hosts ahead just before half-time, although there was an element of fortune with his goal. The ball broke to him on the 18 yard line and he somewhat scuffed his shot but Kevin Holland in the visitors' goal allowed the ball to squirm under him and across the line.

Abbott clearly told his players to up the tempo in the second half as his team took the initiative straight from the off. Within three minutes a delightfull ball from Webb inside left back Josh Hughes set up Hagan who curled his shot narrowly wide. Two minutes later Webb nearly got on the scoresheet himself as he controlled a long ball, shrugged off his challenger and unleashed a thunderbolt from 20 yards that crashed off the bar.

The Tangerines were now enjoying nearly all the possession and further chances came and went for Webb and Hagan before Town were almost made to pay for their missed chances on the hour mark. Luis Berkane had time to pick his spot from 15 yards after some intricate build-up play but a superb save from Kingsley Barnes kept the effort out.

Thereafter Diss controlled the game and they almost increased their lead in the final minute when Bray hit a post from close range.

Abbott was delighted with the result but felt his team should have secured the points with a more convincing win. He was probably right but it makes a pleasant change to have the Diss fans going home complaining that the margin of victory should have been more.

Diss Town: Barnes, White, Last, Baughurst, Tipple, Pain, Betson, Hagan, Webb, Lucraft, Whayman, Subs: Stains, Bray, Kerry, Bullingham.

Diss Town resume their Thurlow Nunn League Division One North campaign on Saturday with a trip to Cornard United and also have an away game at King's Lynn Reserves next Wednesday evening (7.45pm).

Diss Under-15 Hawks beat Dereham Under-15s 4-0, with Tommy Seymour scoring twice and Kieran Gallen and Will Aldrich also on target.