A goal deep into time added on by Kye Simpson secured victory for leaders Clevedon in the battle of the top two at the Money Stadium on Saturday.

Torpoint had been piling on the pressure to try to find an equaliser before the home side launched a breakaway for Simpson to score. Glen Hayer had given Clevedon a 34th minute lead in front of a crowd of 261.

After successive away defeats to their promotion rivals, Torpoint will be looking to bounce back on Tuesday night when they are at home to Newquay.

The Peppermints lost 2-0 on Saturday at Paulton, who jumped above Torpoint into second as a result.

Saturday’s game began with a cautious opening 10 minutes as both sides sized each other up but it was Torpoint who first showed attacking intent.

On 10 minutes, Curtis Damerell controlled a ball on his chest and laid it into the path of Sam Pearson, whose effort from 20 yards drifted wide of the target.

Six minutes later a clever flick from Damerell released Gary Hird, but his strike from an acute angle could only find the side netting.

Torpoint continued to look the more threatening side. After 20 minutes, Hird raced onto a loose ball and beat a defender to it before going to ground under contact, but the referee waved away strong penalty appeals.

The visitors kept pushing forward and Joe Rapson’s smart play soon released Hird again, whose placed effort was well parried by Clevedon goalkeeper James Dunn.

The ensuing scramble was eventually gathered safely by the home side’s number one.

Hird remained at the heart of Torpoint’s attacking threat, and another driving run from the left saw him surge into the penalty area before being met by a robust barge from Steve Kingdom.

Once again, the Torpoint players and supporters looked for a spot kick, but the referee allowed play to continue to the surprise of most of the ground.

Despite the visitors’ early pressure, it was Clevedon who struck first just after the half-hour mark. A shot from Beresford inside the box took a deflection and went behind for a corner.

The delivery caused chaos in the six-yard area, flying beyond Rickard’s attempted punch before striking Hayer on the knee and finding its way into the empty net.

Torpoint responded well and came close to an equaliser soon after. Elliott Crawford produced a superb cross that found Damerell, whose diving header flashed agonisingly wide of the post.

Clevedon threatened again shortly before the interval when Sloggett cut inside from the left and fired just over the bar.

The second half proved far tighter with Clevedon managing the game impressively and limiting Torpoint to very few clear opportunities.

Torpoint’s best moment of the second half arrived in the 70th minute. A free kick found its way to Crawford at the back post, and his powerful drive seemed destined for the net until Thorne produced a superb goal-line header to clear the danger.

As the match entered its closing stages, both sides resorted to efforts from distance that failed to seriously trouble either goalkeeper.

Torpoint threw everything forward in the second minute of added time for one final free kick, leaving themselves exposed at the back. Clevedon seized their opportunity.

The ball was cleared upfield to Simpson, who broke unopposed from the halfway line before calmly slotting past Rickard to seal victory for the Seasiders.

Clevedon: J. Dunn, G. Hayer, S. Kingdon, C. Kingdon, J. Sloggett(H. Vozza 83), C. Saunders, S. Beresford (K. Simpson 83), H. Westlake(H. Coker 97), J. Wakefield, D. Thorne, S. Scott (O. Bridgman 73).

Sub not used: H. Coker.

Goals: G. Hayer (34), K. Simpson (90+4).

Torpoint: R. Rickard, D. Barker, F. Chapman, O. Haslam, C. O’Brien, E. Crawford, S. Pearson (J. Rowe 70/D. Hicks 85), T. Payne (C. Martindale 75), C. Damerell, J. Rapson, G. Hird.

Subs not used: S. Hepworth, R. Shepherd.

Yellow cards: O. Haslam, J. Rowe.

Referee: Robert Taylor.

Attendance: 261.

Man of the Match: Gary Hird.