Cinderford Town 2 (Clark 59 og, McCootie 72) North Leigh 1 (Posey 24)

NORTH Leigh let slip the lead as they went down to a narrow defeat at their Southern League Division 1 South & West rivals.

With Matty Taylor starting his first game of the season, North Leigh looked sharper up front and certainly had the better of the early exchanges, with Joe Burnell, Taylor and Aaron Posey going close.

And they took the lead when the keeper failed to hold a terrific free-kick from Stuart Hole and Posey nicked the ball past the keeper.

After the break, the home side came out all guns blazing and equalised when Toby Clark deflected a corner past his own keeper Adam Lonsdale.

On 70 minutes, Taylor was put through with only the keeper to beat, but he fired wide.

And North Leigh were made to pay when home substitute Nick McCootie flicked home a through ball past Lonsdale for the winner.

North Leigh threw everyone forward, but were unable to force an equaliser.

North Leigh: Lonsdale, Collins, Caton, Posey, Huxley, Hole, Burnell, Sanders (Hutter 90), Taylor (Saunders 75), Clark (Smalldon 80), Reardon. Subs not used: Barrett.

Attendance: 89.