Leigh RMI vs. AFC Telford United preview

By Matt Lawton
February 3 2008

Promotion chasing AFC Telford United are the visitors to Hilton Park on Tuesday evening for a re-arranged fixture that is vital at both ends of the Blue Square North table, with the sides having met at the New Bucks Head a little over a fortnight ago.

In that meeting on a rain-soaked Shropshire afternoon, RMI took the lead through a Kieran Lugsden header after just sixteen minutes, only for a second half capitulation leaving Steve Bleasdale's side on the wrong end of a 6-1 hammering, a miserable debut for goalkeeper Richard Mottram.

In the two games since that heavy defeat, Tim Dittmer has reclaimed RMI's number one shirt and his side have fared much better, although it was a huge disappointment to lose 1-0 at Solihull Moors after dominating much of the game, a week after two Mark Smyth goals had helped secure an important 3-1 home victory over fellow strugglers Vauxhall Motors.

With Lugsden since departing the club to join Buxton, Smyth is likely to be partnered in attack by Gavin Salmon, while centre back Rob Marsh-Evans will face a race to be fit to play after suffering a nasty head injury at Solihull.

Since their goalfest against RMI, AFC Telford have managed to grind out two 1-0 victories, with an injury time strike claiming an impressive three points away to Workington on Saturday afternoon, with second placed Telford's reknowned training regime paying off with another late goal to seal a home win over Hucknall the previous week.

With this season marking AFC's first campaign at this level, it marks the 'new' clubs first and last league visit to the soon-to-be-gone Hilton Park, with the originally scheduled game in December falling foul to torrential rain, although the previous Telford club survived gale force winds and a Martyn Lancaster equaliser to claim a 1-1 draw on their final visit to Leigh in March 2004.

With Telford expected to bring a large and vocal support with them from Shropshire, it's more important than ever that the RMI faithful get behind their side from the outset and do their utmost to inspire their charges.