Two well-taken goals from Jamie Slabber were the difference as Chelmsford City moved back up to fourth in the Blue Square Bet South with a 2-1 win over Tonbridge Angels.
Slabber headed in Aiden Palmer's cross to open the scoring before a blistering volley in off the underside of the crossbar doubled the score as the Clarets threatened to run riot.
But the visitors changed their shape after the break and nullified the attacking threat of the home side – and with it created a host of chances for themselves.
But they took just one of them – through Mikel Suarez – and slipped to a defeat which means they are not quite safe from the drop yet.
Tonbridge kicked off, but it was Chelmsford who were almost in with less than a minute on the clock when Michael Bakare sprinted down the left but both of his cross attempts were blocked – and from the resulting corner Jamie Slabber volleyed over the top.
But the Angels had an even better chance of their own five minutes in when Nathan Green's corner was cleared back out to him and his volleyed cross in found Mark Lovell, but he blasted over from seven yards out.
Bakare was always lively down the left-hand side, and drilled a low cross across the face of goal just before the opener came.
Again it was down the left, this time Palmer's cross taking a slight nick off Sonny Miles and Slabber deftly headed into the far corner.
It should have been two a couple of minutes later when Max Cornhill burst through from midfield and played in Anthony Cook, but his first touch was poor, meaning his second ballooned over the top.
Tonbridge were not without their threats and another Green cross found Suarez, but he headed over the top.
Palmer and Slabber almost combined again to double the score when Palmer showed great trickery to beat his man and stood up a fine cross for Slabber at the back post, but he headed over from the angle.
The game became scrappy as the half-hour approached, although Angels did string together one lovely passing move involving Frannie Collin, Henry Muggeridge, Nathan Green and Suarez, but it came to nothing.
Chelmsford were lucky when some defensive uncertainty ended with Suarez nodding down to Collin but Mark Haines blocked him off.
And moments later it was 2-0 when Justin Miller ran through and hit a long-range shot which spun up off a defender, and it fell nicely for Slabber and he fired an unstoppable half-volley in off the bar.
Angels' biggest threat remained their set-pieces and Danzelle St Louis Hamilton did very well to punch another Green delivery clear from under his own crossbar.
The keeper had a moment of panic when David Ijaha tried his luck from fully 40 yards but it fizzed just over the top.
There was a moment of comedy soon after when a long ball sought out Green but St Louis Hamilton got there first and Green clattered into him, conceding a free-kick, but the Clarets keeper was completely unmoved while Green ended up on the floor.
Tonbridge made a change at the break, with Chris Piper on for Muggeridge and that led to a change in shape, with Angels going three at the back, sparing Miles from any more punishment down the Chelmsford left by moving him back into the middle of defence.
The first half-chance of the second half fell to the men in blue, but Lovell's 25-yarder was deflected behind – and from the corner Gary Elphick headed straight at St Louis Hamilton.
The keeper's long kick completely outfoxed his opposite number Worgan, who leapt under it outside his box and was relieved to see the speedy Bakare just fall short of keeping it in.
Slabber had a shot deflected wide and the attempted clever corner didn't come off, although it did fall to Jack Ainsley, but his shot on his weaker left-foot was always going wide of Worgan's goal.
Angels really should have got one back when Piper chased down a ball over the top and got round St Louis Hamilton, but his touch took him away from goal and left him with a bit to do, and he fired over the top.
The visitors were causing problems again when Danny Walder's long throw was only cleared to Schulz ten yards out, but his shot was straight at St Louis Hamilton.
And they were to spurn their best chance on 70 minutes when Green got clear down the left and sent a great cross for Lovell six yards out, but he headed wide from six yards.
Chelmsford had been little of an attacking threat, but Cook did force Worgan into a regulation save from 25 yards.
Green tested St Louis Hamilton with a free-kick from 35 yards, before Piper drilled a shot just wide of the target after Lovell's long-ranger was blocked back out to him.
It was all Angels and Suarez forced a full-stretch save from St Louis Hamilton with a half-volley from 20 yards, but they did get the goal they deserved a minute from time when Walder's cross found Suarez and he fired in with the slight help of a deflection.
But Chelmsford held on for a win that moves them up to fourth, and leaves Angels still looking over their shoulders at the drop zone.
