Defender Hayden Reeves saw red as Worcester City paid the price for an error-strewn performance in their table-topping clash at Corby Town. 

Chris Cornes’ side suffered their first league defeat since winning promotion, as first striker Fletcher Toll and then Jordan O’Brien exploited defensive lapses to earn the Steelmen a victory that moves them seven points clear of second-placed City. 

The loss ended Worcester’s unblemished start to life in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division, which has already offered enough to suggest that the Blue and Whites can be a force to be reckoned with at this level. 

City were left to rue conceding two poor goals which gifted Corby the lead, before Reeves compounded the visitors’ frustrations by picking up two quick bookings.  

Cornes’ men had headed to Northamptonshire with confidence coursing through their veins after back-to-back victories over the Bank Holiday weekend had set up an eagerly anticipated clash between the league’s early pacesetters.  

But things quickly turned sour for City with just eight minutes on the clock.  

The visitors failed to deal with a free-kick that was pumped downfield into their box, allowing Toll to nip in ahead of George Bennett and delicately lob the stranded keeper. 

The hosts looked in control but were finding it difficult to convert their dominance into clearcut chances. Callum Milne wasted the Steelmen’s two best opportunities to extend their lead, failing to connect from four yards before heading over at the back post. 

City were living off scraps as they struggled to find any fluidity with Izak Reid’s blocked shot on the stroke of half-time a rare moment of threat from the visitors. 

The second-half then got off to a disastrous start for Worcester as O’Brien reached the edge of City’s box, before striking an innocuous-looking effort which slipped through the fingers of the red-faced Barrett. 

City huffed and puffed as they tried to find a way back into the game but any thoughts of a fightback were ended when Reeves picked up a second yellow card on 82 minutes for what appeared to be dissent.