Leamington stopper Tony Breedon was in good form and kept City at bay in the dying minutes denying Aaron Brown twice in the closing stages, beating away his goal-bound free kick before denying the midfielder from point blank range.

The loss means that City miss the chance to leapfrog Leamington, who now move three points clear, although City still have a game in hand over The Brakes.

The Brakes started brightly and troubled City with less than a minute gone as Nathan Hicks travelled down the right before cutting the ball back to Lee Chilton who skied his chance from just inside the area.

But Leamington grabbed the lead with eight minutes gone as Hicks again threatened down the right, cutting the ball back to Chilton with the midfielder neatly turning before driving his shot across goal and into the bottom corner.

The visitors threatened scarcely in the first half with one of their few chances coming as Daniel Nti curled a shot wide from outside the area.

Incredibly, Leamington nearly doubled their lead through goalkeeper Tony Breedon as he launched a first time clearance that travelled the entire length of the pitch before bouncing awkwardly up towards Leigh Bedwell’s top corner, with the young stopper needing to tip the ball to safety.

The hosts dominated the opening twenty minutes and Danny Newton came close with a spectacular swivelling-half volley from well outside the area that flashed just wide, before a neat one-two saw Reece Flanagan bearing down on goal, only for the midfielder to slice his attempt wide.

Stephan Moorley tried his luck from distance after driving into the City half with 35 minutes on the clock, unleashing a swerving pile-driver that was tipped over acrobatically by Bedwell.

With City’s first corner of the half, Ellis Deeney’s delivery flashed across goal via the head of Aaron Williams and Daniel Nti sent the ball over the bar with an audacious attempt to flick the ball goal-wards with his heel from inside the six yard area.

Aaron Williams made way for Ebby Nelson-Addy during the break but it was the visitors who had the first chance of the half with Leigh Bedwell scrambling low to his left to turn away Nathan Hicks’s effort, before Danny Newton pinched the ball from Tyler Weir and curled his attempt to lob the stranded goalkeeper wide moments later.

Aaron Farrell came off the bench and teed Ethan Moore on the 70 minute mark, but the striker’s effort fell straight to the goalkeeper, before Flanagan saw a curling shot tipped wide by Bedwell at the other end.

Ellis Deeney came close in the 75th minute, firing a fierce, goal-bound free kick that was beaten away by full-stretch Breedon, before Ethan Moore fired over the bar moments later.

Wayne Thomas’s long-throw caused problems for the Brakes in the dying minutes, with Aaron Brown’s flick-on evading the awaiting Ethan Moore and being scrambled clear.

City continued to push for an equaliser in stoppage time and again came close again via a free kick, with Aaron Brown’s curling effort being palmed clear by Breedon, before the commanding goalkeeper was there to turn away Brown’s point blank shot from six yards with another remarkable save just moments later to ensure the Brakes held on to secure the win.

Manager, Carl Heeley, gave an honest assessment of his team’s performance.

“Over the 90 minutes we were off it today and that’s disappointing. Second half we were more on it and it’s taken two good saves by their ‘keeper to deny us a point. But, that said, today overall I was disappointed in us.”

City return to action on Tuesday with the visit of Barrow to Aggborough (7.45 kick off).

Attendance 657

Report by Alexander Harris