Halstead Town suffered their third successive league defeat after losing 3-2 at Diss, in Ridgeons League division one.

However, when assessing their defeat, they will look back on a missed penalty and two efforts cancelled out for offside.

Things looked wrong from the start when illness ruled out skipper Steve Daly and defender Tom Devaux.

However, all looked well after just two minutes when Town took the lead.

Adie Hayes was penalised for hands on the edge of the box and Chris Bryan crashed home the free-kick to record his 50th goal for the club.

Diss hit back and Dan Partridge and Luke Catchpole looked dangerous.

But Halstead defended well, with Danny Rowell still finding time and space to support the attack, while numerous free-kicks awarded again either side frequently halted the flow of the game.

After half an hour Diss got back on terms when Paul Wood could only parry an Ed Cussons corner, allowing defender Steve West to bundle the ball home.

More pressure followed from the hosts and they took the lead five minutes before the interval when another Cusson corner was headed home by Andy Moodey.

Two minutes into the second half, Diss were gifted a third when Wood parried a simple Steve Wright header into his own net.

But from then on, Halstead took a firm grip on the game.

Substitutes San Lee and Dave Barefield were sent on and Halstead peppered the home goal.

He denied Rowell and Ray Turner and Barefield both had their efforts ruled out, before Hill held a firm, low shot from Andy Joslin.

Best then brought down Turner in the box but the former Stanway Rovers striker was denied from the spot for the second week running.

Undeterred by the miss, Halstead kept the pressure up and they were rewarded when Cussons handled on the line and Lee stroked home from the spot with ten minutes left.

Halstead forced a succession of corners in the closing stages but Halstead were unable to force an equaliser.