Diss seemed set to end their winless run of four league games when they visited Halstead, who were four points ahead of the Tangerines, until a stoppage-time wonder-strike meant that the game ended 1-1.

There was plenty of endeavour in the first half an hour, but neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled.

The Tangerines went close in the 32nd minute when Shaun Hunsdon played the ball inside for Adam Burroughs, starting for the first time since a knee injury in mid-November, to move forward into clear space and play the ball across to Charlie Webb. The Diss centre-forward was able to get in a goalbound shot, but the effort was blocked.

Webb scored the opening goal of the game in the 40th minute. He used his strength to win a ball and beat his defender. He moved into the penalty area and his low right-foot shot from an angle went into the net off the foot of the far post.

Webb sent a 62nd-minute header inches over from 10 yards before George MacRae was forced to parry a 30-yard free-kick less than a minute later.

Halstead were applying pressure with the ball in the air and both home players and the crowd were screaming for decisions as their players hit the floor at every opportunity. It seemed that Diss would need a second goal and it looked likely to be on the break as the home team were having most of the attacking.

Three minutes into added time a long throw caused pressure at the near post. The ball was cleared to right back Jordan Hutchings some 35 yards out. He sent an unstoppable right-foot shot into the top corner of the net to send the home team into a celebration worthy of a championship win.

There was still time for more pressure and after a caution for a foul by Webb, the home team won a corner on their left. The ball came across and a header hit the post, with goalkeeper MacRae clutching the ball and being pushed towards the goal. As a result Tom Holdstock was shown his second yellow card and therefore sent off in the last action of the match.

Diss: MacRae, Cole, L Appleton, Manning, Shadrack, Tipple, Norton-Hugman, Burroughs, Webb, Hunsdon, Bryant. Subs: Bray, Wenham, Worthy.

Diss are at home to Whitton United on Saturday at 3pm.