Chasetown should have made life more difficult for the Brakes when top scorer Dean Perrow missed a 63rd minute penalty writes Russell Brown.

As the rain lashed down on Church Street, certainly robbing the Scholars of a larger crowd than the 706 that braved the elements, the home team suffered a real blow in the first minute when midfield maestro Ben Steane was caught by a nasty tackle by Guy Saunders and the Chasetown player was whisked to hospital with a badly gashed shin.

Danny Smith forced the first opening when he squeezed his way past Martin Hier, but the strikers final effort had little power to it and Richard Morris made a routine save.

Leamington’s first threat saw Ben Mackey hit a dipping shot from distance that needed Lee Evans to tip over the bar and the Chasetown keeper was soon back in action when a free kick from Heir bounced up awkwardly off the greasy surface and Evans was just able to deflect the effort wide for a corner.

Smith and Perrow combined well to set up another chance that was deflected wide, but it was again the visitors who looked the more deadly as Robbie Beard bought another fine save from Evans.

The Leamington fans were in fine voice and in the 32nd minute they had something worthy to cheer. Chasetown were exposed on their right flank and as the ball came across, Mackey swept in an instant shot that wrong footed the defence to settle low into the corner of the net.

There was still time before the break for Leamington to again catch out the Scholars. This time a short corner saw James Husband fire a fierce angled drive that Evans was required to beat away.

Chasetown came out with more determination and a measured shot from Craig Holland forced Morris into his first real save of the game. From the corner Lucan Spittle came in just a fraction too early to head the ball over the bar.

It took a superb cross field ball from new signing Keith Rostill to widen the gap as his magnificently weighted pass saw Husband pounce. Evans did extremely well to block the initial effort but the ball bounced right back to the strikers feet and he buried the ball high into the net on 55 minutes

Smith and Perrow were working hard against a tall, uncompromising Leamington defence, but as he does so often, Perrow managed to twist past his marker to get into the area. As he attempted to round Morris, the keeper bundled the striker down to concede a penalty.

Perrow, this season unerring from the spot, stepped up to take the kick and blasted it high over the bar to the disbelief of the Chasetown faithful.

Despite that set back the Scholars top scorer got back into the swing of things and five minutes later, Perrow was unlucky to see he close range header beat Morris but cannon off the angle of bar and post.

That was to be the last real chance of the game as Leamington expertly contained their hosts in the final third of the game to take away three valuable points and resume their place at the head of the table.

Chasetown: Evans, J Branch, M Branch, Perry (Clamp), Spittle, Williams, Steane (Woodvine), Hawkins, Smith, Perrow, Holland (Lamey)

Other Subs: Harris, Edwards (not used)