Lowestoft Town went into this Emirates FA Cup first qualifying round tie as strong favourites but visitors Leighton Town gave them plenty of worries particularly in the opening half hour.
Lowestoft were forced into one change in their starting line up with Miguel Lopez replacing Connor Deeks.
You would not have thought there was two steps difference between the clubs as Leighton made far the better start and with just three minutes on the clock Leigh Stevens had Luis Tibbles scrambling across his line as the ball flashed wide.
Lowestoft had another close call on 10 minutes which all stemmed from a Lowestoft corner.
Jacek Zielonka's flag kick saw Adam Tann's header collected by Brad Kirkwod. The keeper's massive punt downfield caught Lowestoft out and Archie McClelland beat Tibbles in a race for the ball but saw his header land on the roof of the net. Tibbles then saved another McClelland header.
Lowestoft gradually came more into the game as the half progressed and started to put the visitors under pressure.
The link up play between Malachi Linton and Jake Reed was beginning to cause problems and the two combined but Linton's shot hit the post and rolled along the line before being cleared by Tom Silford.
Leighton skipper Dave Murphy was booked for pulling Reed back and just three minutes later received a second yellow for a very rash tackle on the Trawlerboys' striker leaving the visitors with just 10 men from the 30th minute.
With a man advantage Lowestoft were imposing greater pressure on the visitors and the breakthrough finally came in the 51st minute.
Reed and Dylan Williams exchanged passes to allow Reed to glide past Kyle Davison-Gordon before teeing up Linton to hit his second goal for the Trawlerboys.
Leighton were far from beaten though and McClelland pounced on a slip by Travis Cole but his shot lacked conviction and was easily saved by Tibbles.
That escape emphasised that Lowestoft needed a second goal to ease their worries and both Reed and Jack Wilkinson were denied by Kirkwood.
The decisive goal finally arrived in the 75th minute following a foul by Alfie Osborne on Zielonka.
Jack Wilkinson's free kick picked out Cole at the far post and he squeezed his header just inside the post.
Lowestoft comfortably saw out the final 15 minutes.

Lowestoft Town: Tibbles, Tann, Jack Wilkinson, Lopez, Cole, Jarvis, Zielonka, Richardson (McIntosh 73), Reed, Linton (Marcus Wilkinson 66), Williams, Subs (Not used) Hedge, Deeks, Delgado, Reynolds
Leighton Town: Kirkwood, Osborne (Butawo 81), Silford, Murphy, Davison-Gordon, Foulger, Webb, Stevens (Donker 46), McClelland (Adams 70), Fredericks, Towell, Subs (not used) Pattie, Murrell, Pyman
Referee: Mr A Wilson
Attendance: 388

Terry Lynes