Acle United crashed to a second successive league defeat, 3-2 away at St Andrews, in a game in which the Sterry Cup Champions dominated, but were left to reflect on more defensive errors and a good deal of misfortune.

Attree was a constant threat to the Saints defence all afternoon and it took a smart bit of defending to dispossess him as he raced on to a through ball inside the box.

The home side took a shock lead in the sixth minute when man of the match Sam Whiting capitalised on indecision by the Acle rearguard to tap in.

Saints should have been awarded a penalty when Whiting was clearly tripped in the box, but the referee failed to spot the infringement.

Acle were playing neat football but with no width, despite the open expanses of the Laundry Lane pitch. Morgan shot over from a Curran cross, before the skilful full-back set up Forder who headed wide.

St Andrews maintained a slender lead at the break, but in the 49th minute a short corner routine saw Foreman play in Sanders to fire home. Whiting continued to pose a threat, and after cutting in from the right the ball was played out for a corner. Delivered in with no apparent danger, Ian Morgan went to clear the ball only to see it rebound off the back of Whiting and into an empty net.

Peacock showed his pace down the right and Sanders should have converted from two yards out, before the game was held up for 10 minutes following a bad injury to the Saints full-back.

On 81 minutes Acle finally got the equaliser as Daniel Foreman’s corner was glanced home by Peacock. United cranked up the pressure in search of the winner. Foreman delivered a free-kick which saw Jordan Attree flash his header wide, before Morgan had his shot cleared off the line.

Deep into injury time a free-kick was swung into the Acle box only for skipper Foreman to fluff his clearance to let in Bonkers to guide the ball into an empty net for all three points.

Acle: S Foreman, Sandell, Faulkes, D Foreman, Curran, Gibbons, Morgan, Forder, Sanders, Attree, McCabe. Subs: Peacock, Wiley, Stelzer-Hiller.

Tomorrow Acle entertain Mattishall at Bridewell Lane. Kick off is 2.30pm.