Harrogate Railway Athletic 0 Leigh Genesis 1

A magnificent performance from Leigh Genesis saw them claim a vital three points from their mammoth midweek trip to Harrogate with a terrific Paul Hopkins winner with just three minutes left on the clock.

A magnificent performance from Leigh Genesis saw them claim a vital three points from their mammoth midweek trip to Harrogate with a terrific Paul Hopkins winner with just three minutes left on the clock.

After suffering a 5-0 FA Trophy defeat at the hands of Garforth Town at the weekend that saw three Genesis players shown red cards, Leigh boss Mark Maddox demanded a response from his players not only in terms of the result, but also an improvement in discipline and overall performance, and he got all three in abundance.

Having fallen foul of the match officials on far too many occasions already this season, Leigh's improvement in conduct was particularly noticeable. Only one yellow card shown to the visitors when Danny Lyons committed an unnecessary foul on sixty two minutes, while the hosts saw right back Dan Thirkell shown a red card, albeit after the final whistle, for hurling a torrent of abuse at the match officials.

Several changes were made to the side that conceded five goals in the final fifteen minutes at Crilly Park on Saturday, with Steve Brockley and Joe McKane resuming their centre back partnership having played alongside each other in a President's Cup defeat to Skelmersdale a fortnight ago, while Andy Heald returned from suspension to play at left back with Rowan Garnett and James Olsen retaining their positions in central midfield. In the case of Brockley, McKane, Olsen and Brodie Kearns, all four were making their full league debuts for the club, albeit for the second time for Brockley having previously played for the club in the Blue Square North.

Fielding a back four that had an average height of something well above six feet, it was almost inevitable that hosts Harrogate, who began the evening just two points in front of Leigh, would pose a threat from set pieces and they fired an early warning shot on just three minutes when Colin Hunter floated a corner kick from the left hand side that saw Danny Husband thump a header against the crossbar.

That said, Leigh weren't without an aerial threat of their own and went close on six minutes when Steve Brockley nodded a James Olsen corner over the bar.

Maddox sprang a surprise with his tactics by starting Paul Hopkins up front alongside John Lawless and switching Brodie Kearns to the right hand side of midfield, and it was proving to be a good choice with Husband being given a torrid time whenever Kearns took him on, and invariably dribbled past him. One such occasion came on fourteen minutes when Kearns showed a great turn of pace and skill to go round the outside of Husband and fire a low shot that Railway goalkeeper Chris Elliott could only parry out as far as Hopkins, only for his goalbound effort to be bravely blocked and deflected away for a corner by Hunter.

Genesis goalkeeper Adam Judge has already proven himself to be a very capable number one so far this season but, after suffering from a lack of confidence in recent games, his morale took a huge and well deserved boost on twenty four minutes when, in circumstances not too dissimilar from when Husband hit the crossbar early on, Wayne Harratt was afforded a free header from a Hunter corner from the left, only for Judge to come up with a terrific reaction save to keep out the centre back's header from point blank range.

Rowan Garnett dragged a shot wide of the target a minute before the break from the edge of the area after an Olsen free kick had only been partially cleared, leaving the two sides level at the break after an exhausting and thoroughly absorbing first half.

Adam Strode didn't return to the field for the second half for Genesis after he finally admitted defeat to illness at the break, and his replacement Nick Eastham had a golden opportunity to put Leigh in front after just three minutes of the second period when he was played clean through on goal by an incisive John Lawless pass, only to take a little too long in picking his spot and seeing the ball nicked away from his feet and away for a corner.

The sixty sixth minute saw another player who had been struggling with illness withdrawn from the action when Lawless was replaced for the long-awaited debut of Jordan Gerrard, who had been missing since pre-season with a back injury and lifted Leigh's play to another level with his close control and eye for a pass.

However, Leigh were indebted to the imperious McKane on seventy one minutes when Danny Lyons was a little short in a backpass to Judge, but McKane was his saving grace with a crunching tackle to get the ball away from goal.

A tremendously hard-working and well-organised Leigh performance finally brought it's reward on eighty seven minutes when Lyons sent Eastham haring down the right hand channel, and he did superbly to hold off the challenge of a Railway defender and get to the by-line to cross for Hopkins at the back post, who made no mistake in diverting his half-volley towards goal and in to the back of the net via Elliott's left-hand post to spark joyous celebrations.

Leigh were forced to endure a period of four minutes added time, but if anything it was the visitors who looked most likely to add to the scoring with Kearns stinging Elliott's fingers with a ferocious strike. Substitute Joe Evans was almost spoilt for choice as Leigh found themselves in a three-on-two situation with the home defence stranded upfield, only for Evans to take too long in deciding whether to pass or shoot and seeing the chance go away, though it mattered little as the referee brought proceedings to an end only seconds later to confirm Leigh's first away league win of the season to lift themselves in to twenty first position in the Evo-Stik League Division One North table.

This Saturday sees Genesis back in league action when seventeenth-placed Salford City, themselves celebrating a Tuesday night victory, make the short journey to Crilly Park. Kick off is at 3pm with admission costing £7 for adults, £5 for over 65's and students and just £2 for under 18's. Two days later Leigh travel down the M60 to take on Curzon Ashton in an Evo-Stik League Challenge Cup First Round tie next Monday (11th October, 7.45pm).

Leigh Genesis; Adam Judge, Danny Lyons, Andy Heald, Joe McKane, Steve Brockley, Rowan Garnett (Joe Evans 82), Paul Hopkins, James Olsen, John Lawless (Jordan Gerrard 66), Brodie Kearns, Adam Strode (Nick Eastham 46). Subs (not used); James Bell