Diss Town slumped to their third consecutive defeat after a limp home display against mid-table Downham Town on Saturday.

Manager Jason Cooke recalled Paul Betson and Harry Moore to the starting 11 but it failed to provide any sort of spark as Town went down without creating a serious chance.

Indeed, without the customary assured performance from goalkeeper Jake Hayhoe the deficit would have been considerably more.

Diss actually started the brighter of the two teams, with Harry Moore was busy in midfield and Diss seeking to exploit the pace of Stacey Payne on the right.

The first chance fell to midfielder Nuno Nogueira who was fed on the edge of the box by Betson but shot went wide on his weaker foot. Nogueira was again the danger man in the 25th minute when he tried his luck from 25 yards, with keeper Duncan McAnally scrambling backwards to divert the ball over the bar. Thereafter the only moment of note in the first half was a point blank save from Jake Hayhoe in the Diss goal when one-on-one with a Downham forward.

After the break Hayhoe was once again called into action, saving well from an advancing forward, but there wasn't much Hayhoe could do when the visitors took the lead in the 65th minute. A cross from the right was not dealt with by the Diss defence and the ball was blasted past Hayhoe.

It was hard to see Diss fighting back as the players were clearly lacking confidence and increasingly reverted to long ball football. You couldn't really fault the effort, but Town never came close to an equaliser and the three points went home with Downham.

Next up on Saturday is a trip to neighboours and league leaders Harleston Town in the third round of the Norfolk Senior Cup.

Team: Hayhoe, White, Last, Pain, Cornish (c), Nogueira, Payne, Vincent, Leitao, Moore, Betson. Subs: Hewitt, Lambe, Fena, Goulding, Riches.

Diss Town Under-18s completed the double over AFC Royals, scoring twice at the death to win 4-3, with Kyle Halil's winner coming in the second minute of injury time. Nathan Faulkner, Josh West and Ryan Davidson were also on target,

Diss Town Hawks Under-15s were unlucky to lose 4-3 at home to Old Catton Tigers (Kieran Gallen 2, Jack Glen).