Acle United went down 2-1 to a high-flying Bradenham side that visited Bridewell Lane holding a top three spot in the Premier Division.

Despite having five first team regulars missing Acle were looking to build on their 3-1 victory against Stalham Town the previous week and began brightly on a rain softened surface.

After 10 minutes the perfect delivery saw United take the lead when George Brooks’ cross was nodded home by Stephen Drake.

With United a goal up and pressing for a second, Drake found himself in space 30 yards out and with the goalkeeper off his line rolled the ball into an empty net, only for the linesman to adjudicate that Harrison was offside.

Bradenham then began to get into the game and Foreman pulled off a point blank save to keep the scores level. But with 10 minutes to the break George Sturrock-Watts powered a header home to equalise.

As half-time approached Acle had the perfect opportunity to go back in front when Peacock did well to dispossess the Bulldogs’ keeper but he was robbed of the ball by a defender as he prepared to plant the ball into an empty net.

Acle should have been out of sight by half-time but after the break Bradenham upped their game. and Sturrock-Watts put a free-kick wide.

Twenty minutes from time the Bulldogs won a corner and after the ball was glanced on, a Bradenham defender was first to the ball to head home to give the visitors the lead.

It was all Acle in the last 10 minutes as despite playing with 10 men due to an injury to Bibby they laid siege to the away goal.

The impressive Drake went desperately close with the clock approaching 90 minutes as his goal-bound header looked certain to find the top corner of the net, only for the Bulldogs keeper to claw the ball wide of the goal. Guyton had the perfect opportunity from six yards out but shot straight at the keeper and Wiley blasted over the bar from inside the box in a game that Acle probably deserved to win as they were unable to convert more than once from 10 or a dozen well-made chances.

Acle: S Foreman, T Clark, S Garner, C Wiley, M Hoeppner, J Bibby, S Drake, G Brooks, S Waite, S Peacock, B Guyton. Subs all used: J Land, J Malin, H Tooley.

Tomorrow Acle travel to Mulbarton Wanderers (2pm).