Diss Town 3 Brantham Athletic 1

Diss Town produced an excellent all-round team performance on Saturday to finally win their first home game of the season.

James Hadley returned for the Tangerines and was deployed in a midfield role, with Chris Holmes also in the starting XI to support Matt Dixon in attack.

Diss made a lively start before, in the 12th minute, keeper Matthew Powley was in a collision when he raced out of his area to head the ball clear.

The game was stopped for seven and half minutes for Powley to receive treatment to his head injury. Thankfully he recovered and was able to continue despite a bandaged head and some facial injuries.

Diss put together a a superb flowing move in the 34th minute, that ended with Holmes finding Dixon running into the area, but the ball got stuck under his feet as he was about to pull the trigger. However, four minutes later the Tangerines took the lead when a short corner found Holmes unmarked on the by-line and his low cross was swept past Fowler by Ady Ager.

In the 50th minute Eoin O'Herlihy showed great determination to win back possession in the penalty area, but his snapshot went straight into the arms of Fowler.

The Tangerines had a miraculous escape in the 59th minute when Powley took some of the sting out of a fierce Brantham strike from the edge of the area but the ball was still heading for the goal when Hadley somehow got a touch to divert the ball wide for a corner. Having survived this scare the Tangerines then increased their lead four minutes later when Lowe lofted the ball forward and found Holmes who judged his lob over Fowler to perfection to put the Tangerines into the unchartered waters of a 2-0 lead in a match for the first time this season.

In the 74th minute the home side had the luxury of a three goal cushion when a powerful drive from Tolliday from outside the area was diverted wide of Fowler by Dixon.

Diss decided some fresh legs were needed in the 80th minute and brought on Matt Waters for Dixon. Four minutes later Jacob Brown climbed high to head a corner goalwards, but the effort lacked direction and went straight into the arms of a waiting Fowler.

In the 90th minute Daniel Gould replaced Ryan Cotton, with James Hadley slotting into the back four to take up Cotton's centre back role. A minute later Brantham got a goal back, via two of their substitutes to reduce the Tangerines' lead.

Jordan Kiwomya headed on a cross from the near post back from the by-line to the penalty spot, where the onrushing Kieron Lawler met the ball at speed to thump home a goal for the visitors.

In the final minutes Mark Shadrack, returning from a lengthy injury, replaced Holmes as the Tangerines looked to protect their lead by replacing a striker with a defensive midfielder. The home fans roared their appreciation as the referee blew the final whistle to draw to a close this much-extended match due to first half injury time.

Diss Town: Matthew Powley, Sam Lowe, Ady Ager, Ryan Cotton (Daniel Gould), Sam Newton, James Hadley, George Tolliday, Jacob Brown (captain), Eoin O'Herlihy, Chris Holmes (Mark Shadrack), Matt Dixon (Matt Waters).

Not used: Ashley Mitchell, Sean Greygoose.

Attendance: 93

The Tangerines are in league action again on Saturday when they visit local rivals Walsham-Le-Willows, kick-off 3pm.