Diss Town travelled to bottom of the table Needham Market Reserves looking to push further away from the relegation places.

However, it was the hosts who deservedly secured their second win of the season with a late goal as their Academy youngsters moved the ball around more effectively on a 3G pitch they use all week.

For Diss it was a third disappointing defeat of the season on an artificial pitch — the good news is that all the remaining fixtures are on grass.

The early action saw shots from outside the penalty area well held — Keiran Hagan for Diss and Ethan Abrahams forcing Finlay Shorten and Kingsley Barnes respectively into early action.

Charlie Webb hit a lofted shot which Shorten palmed up and quickly dived to catch and came close to breaking the deadlock just before the break when he moved on to a good pass from Ryan Beeston and hit a low shot from 10 yards out which Shorten blocked with his feet.

Needham started the second half well and took the lead in the 51st minute when Jose Santa beat the offside trap before sending a fine shot into the corner of the net. The hosts were now winning the midfield battles and Barnes made two fine saves after Diss had been opened up with ease.

Central defender Jack Tipple was only denied an equaliser in the 67th minute when his header at a corner was nodded off the line by a defender. Diss did equalise 10 minutes later when Reece White played the ball down the right for Hagan to move on to. He sent in a low cross, Shorten spilled the ball at the near post and Connor Kerry applied the finishing touch.

Diss had two fine chances to take the lead late on. Tipple played a fine pass along the floor for Hagan to move into the area and play the ball across for Josh Lucraft to shoot over from 10 yards out. Webb then headed over when unmarked eight yards out at a corner.

Four minutes in added time it seemed that the game would be drawn but Diss conceded an unnecessary free-kick for a foul in the attacking penalty area. Shorten played the ball out and it eluded a number of players for Santa to collect and round the onrushing Barnes before sliding home into an unguarded goal.

Team: Barnes, White, Last, Pain, Tipple, Hagan, Vincent (Baxter 54), Lucraft, Webb, Betson, Beeston (Kerry 63). Subs unused: Lanchester, Halil.

Diss Town are at home against promotion chasing Mulbarton Wanderers on Saturday (3pm).

Diss Under-15s Hawks beat St Andrews Under-15s 3-2 with goals from Kieran Gallen, Alex Hammond on his debut and Terry Payne.