Acle United were beaten 3-1 at Mattishall in a match they deserved at least a point from.

Blighted by the loss of six first team players, manager Robert Taylor announced the signings of former Norwich City youth striker Luke Thacker and former Bloaters midfielder Brett Colclough.

Mattishall were the first to show on a hard surface as Webster powered through before unleashing a shot wide of the away goal.

On 10 minutes Acle could have taken the lead when Colclough used his long throw to put in Thacker whose shot was just the wrong side of the post.

Acle were beginning to dominate as Garner played a slick one two down the left before crossing for the lively Thacker to shoot inches wide.

Then came the first of two early Christmas presents for the home side as Wiley lent on his winger conceding a cheap free-kick that Foreman failed to track as the ball curled into the net. Acle hit back when Drake sent his header goalward but worse was to come when Tiago’s shot from an oblique angle was cruelly deflected to see Acle go 2-0 down.

Despite being well behind in the match, Acle were playing with great gusto and it was no surprise to see them pull a goal back just before the break when Harrison won his aerial battle to flick on to Drake who nodded home into an empty net.

The final first half action saw Scott Foreman produce a brilliant save to deny Tiago.

The second half saw Acle dominate territory and Thacker had a screamer deflected wide of the goal and then Wiley looked to have equalised before his pile-driver was brilliantly touched over the bar by the home keeper.

Two more shots kicked off the line summed up Acle’s domination in the second half but with Colclough having to come off injured it had become one of those days at the office.

With Acle pushing on and deep into injury time Woodcock raced away and with Foreman a little slow off his line he conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box, from which Woodcock put the game beyond recall with an excellent strike into the bottom corner.

Team: S Foreman, T Clarke, S Garner, M Taylor, C Wiley, B Colclough, H Tooley, R Forder, L Thacker, B Robinson, S Drake.

Tomorrow Acle entertain Long Stratton at Bridewell Lane (2pm).