LEAMINGTON FC suffered a 2-0 home defeat to promotion chasing AFC Fylde as their winless run extended to nine matches.
The Brakes last league win came back in early November and goals from Sam Osborne and Alex Whitmore made for another tough afternoon for Paul Holleran’s men.
And that result leaves Leamington in 14th place in the National League North table, four points away from the play-off places.
Fylde made a quick start and Brakes goalkeeper Jake Weaver made a brave punch to beat visiting skipper Whitmore to a high ball before Nick Haughton’s free-kick curled into the keeper’s arms.
And Weaver was called into action again soon after when Weaver could only parry Danny Whitehead’s fierce low effort into the path of Sam Osborne who was unable to force the ball home.
Leamington’s first real chance came when Dylan Barkers header at the far post from a corner found the side netting.
Fylde took the lead on 25 minutes when former Brakes man Osborne curled an effort past Weaver in off the post after the keeper had first denied Haughton’s stinging low drive.
Holleran’s side improved after the break when Stephen Morley’s effort from distance went straight down the throat of Fylde goalkeeper Bobby Jones at his near post.
And after Osborne blazed over from a promising position, Fylde doubled their lead on 61 minutes when Whitmore headed home from point blank range.
Leamington struggled to produce a fightback as Jack Lane hooked a well-struck volley narrowly wide in a rare attack.
Defender Morley then made a stunning block to keep out Jack Sampson’s effort from close range after Ben Tollitt drove the ball low across the face of goal.
Substitute Sampson had one final chance to extend Fylde’s lead when he beat the Leamington defence and Weaver with his shot going the wrong side of the post.
Leamington are next in action at home to Tamworth tomorrow night (Tuesday, January 18) in the Birmingham Senior Cup quarter-finals with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Your Co-op Community Stadium.
