Leicester City slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat against East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Foxes enjoyed the majority of the possession but could not turn their chances into goals.
And therefore captain Gareth Taylor's first-half goal was enough to provide the visiting side with a smash-and-grab triumph and a major boost in their fight against relegation from the Championship.
City made a nervy start and Ian Walker's hurried clearance fell straight into the path of Forest captain Taylor but he was quickly closed down.
However, it was the hosts who almost broke the deadlock in the second minute.
Striker Mark de Vries collected the ball 20 yards out and hit a thunderous low drive but a diving Paul Gerrard managed to save with his fingertips.
The Foxes continued to pile on the pressure and Keith Gillespie was unfortunate to see his goal-bound header from a Danny Tiatto left-wing cross blocked four minutes later.
At the other end, Kris Commons fired an ambitious 35-yard free-kick high over Walker's bar on 13 minutes.
But City were indebted to Walker minutes later when he brilliantly parried former Foxes player Alan Rogers' fierce 18-yard effort and then saved Commons' curling free-kick.
An untimely slip from Gerrard almost cost the visitors dear in the 23rd minute but the Forest defence sparred the shotstopper's blushes before de Vries was only denied by a last ditch tackle from Andy Melville.
Craig Levein's men almost took the lead on 29 minutes when new boy Darren Kenton's pull-back from the right-hand by-line was met by ex-Forest star Gareth Williams but his effort shaved the right-hand upright with Gerrard only a spectator.
The home side continued to pour forward in numbers and Nikos Dabizas saw his header from a Williams corner cleared off the line then Gillespie's piledriver from 20 yards flew inches wide.
Commons again tested Walker from distance in the 37th minute but the England international was again equal to the task.
Forest captain Taylor was then booked for a foul on Matt Heath but he made amends soon after.
Taylor met Rogers' left-wing cross at the back post and looped his header over Walker and into the opposite corner of the net for the opener in the 40th minute.
Kenton came close just before the interval but it was the visitors who went into half-time with their noses in front.
City came out all guns blazing and forced two corners in quick succession before Gerrard tipped Williams' near post header over the bar on 51 minutes.
Walker comfortably saved from Rogers three minutes later before Paul Evans replaced David Friio in the 56th minute.
But it was the Foxes who almost grabbed an equaliser just before the hour.
Lilian Nalis' shot rebounded off the left-hand post with the ball falling to Williams but the midfielder was unable to pull the trigger and was then crowded out with the ball going out for a corner.
Darryl Powell was yellow-carded for a late challenge on Gillespie on 60 minutes before James Perch came on for Rogers 10 minutes later.
In the 75th minute Heath had his header cleared off the Forest line by a sea of bodies.
But that was to be the defender's last action of the game as he made way for Tommy Wright on 77 minutes with City reverting to a 3-4-3 formation.
De Vries continued to plug away in search of the equaliser and he saw a snap shot drift harmlessly wide.
Stephen Hughes replaced Alan Maybury four minutes from time and Commons made way for Neil Harris in the dying moments.
Even Walker came up for a free-kick in injury time but it was not to be City's afternoon.
City: Walker, Kenton, Dabizas, Heath (Wright 77), Maybury (Hughes 86), Gillespie, Nalis, Williams, Tiatto ©, de Vries, Connolly. Subs not used: Hirschfeld, McCarthy, Stearman.
Forest: Gerrard, Rogers (Perch 70), Morgan, Powell, Friio (Evans 56), Taylor ©, Doig, Commons (Harris 90), Curtis, Dobie, Melville. Subs not used: Doyle, Thompson.
Bookings
City:
Forest: Taylor (38), Powell (60)
Attendance: 27,277
Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
