Hemsby returned to league action on Saturday with an away trip to Hingham and suffered a disappointing defeat in a match that saw a number or poor challenges from the hosts.

With only 13 players available and a number of key men out Hemsby started well and an interception by Lewis Stebbings in the first minute saw the ball just run a little too close to the keeper.

Stebbings twice went close again in what was becoming a feisty encounter before Hemsby got caught in possession and a failed clearance resulted in a soft corner being conceded.

The home side duly took the lead when the ball hit Shannon Deeks’ foot and went into his own net, with Rui Goncalves left helpless.

Hemsby should have got back on level terms a minute before the break when a great ball from Stebbings picked Kristian Sutton out but he screwed his effort wide.

Hemsby introduced new signing Andre Pestana for the second half and he wasted no time getting into the game and soon received a crunching tackle that went unpunished.

The visitors then conceded a second goal and it has to BE said it was a well-worked and well-taken effort that left Goncalves unable to do anything about it.

In the 70th minute a Hingham player was rightly sent off after kicking out at Harlen Metcalfe and this gave Hemsby a lift. Metcalfe’s resulting free-kick hit a defender on the arm and as the referee was about to blow for a penalty, the ball was headed into the net by Stebbings.

Hemsby changed formation, leaving just three players back as they pushed hard for an equaliser, and the last 10 minutes produced some of the best football of the afternoon.

Hingham used the counter-attack well and managed to fashion an opening for a striker to produce an excellent finish.

There was one further poor challenge on Russell Marriott, as he received the ball in his own penalty area, that went unpunished.

This was a very disappointing result considering how well the team had played the previous week but it is a lesson learned.

The Mission man-of-the-match was Kyle Simnett.

Hemsby, who have now won two, drawn two and lost two, play host to Blofield United Rseerves on Saturday in their latest Anglian Combination Division Three match.