Shaun Bammant's 56th-minute goal secured Lowestoft a valuable three points and left visitors Leatherhead deep in the relegation mire – but it was a game that will not live long in the memory.

Town's injury woes seem to be easing, with Frazer Blake-Tracy, Harvey Hodd and Chris Henderson all returning to give Ady Gallagher virtually a full squad. In the end he made just two changes to the starting line-up, with keeper Jake Jessup replacing the injured Jamie Waite and Andrew Fisk in for the unavailable Rory Mcauley.

In a dour first half there was little of note with the main action occurring in the opening and final 10 minutes. Leatherhead made the opening thrust and in the very first minute a vicious ball in from the left by Paul Semakula was inches away from Yannis Ambroisine. The pacy Nana Boakye-Yiadom worked his way into the penalty area but from a good position shot straight at Jessup.

As the half came to an end Lowestoft started to get their game together, with Nico Cotton coming more into the game, seeing one cross collected by Louis Wells and another finding the head of Jake Reed, whose effort was saved.

After an early scare when Boakye-Yiadom's cross was hacked clear by Jarvis and Kadell Daniel's shot parried by Jessup, Lowestoft upped the tempo and started to threaten.

A quick turn and shot from Jamie Forshaw was deflected just past the post before the Trawlerboys finally broke the deadlock in the 56th minute. Forshaw raced onto an exquisite ball down the inside right channel, with Wells failing to hold the ball, and Bammant was on hand to knock the ball into the unguarded net.

In the final seconds, Leatherhead were reduced to 10 men when sub Julian Anau was booked for kicking the ball away.

Lowestoft: Jessup, Barker, Smith, Fisk, Rossi Jarvis (Blake-Tracy 77), Cole, Forshaw (Henderson 72), Ryan Jarvis, Reed, Cotton (Hodd 82), Bammant. Subs not used: Miles, Amisi. Attendance: 520.