Leigh Genesis 0 Lancaster City 0
By Matt Lawton
March 1 2011
A resolute performance from Leigh Genesis saw Alan Kershaw's side earn a vital point with a goalless draw against tenth-placed Lancaster, though the home side might have been celebrating collecting all three points had things gone their way.
Remarkably, the final result was Leigh's first 0-0 draw all season and indeed their first in just short of a year since drawing 0-0 with Curzon Ashton in late March 2010, with the clean sheet particularly impressive given the fact Lancaster won 6-0 when the sides last met in November.
Playing in their first home game in the month since drawing 1-1 with leaders Chester, Kershaw made two changes from the side that lost 4-0 to high-flying Skelmersdale United the previous weekend with Andy Heald and Simon Pendlebury missing from the starting line up with youth product Scott Sephton and midfielder Steve Smith being restored to the starting line up after both featuring in the 2-0 win at Mossley a week earlier.
In a well-fought first half that was short on goalmouth action, Leigh had marginally the better of the play but had only half-chances to show for their efforts at the break with Stuart Rudd heading a Dave Dempsey free kick straight at goalkeeper Martin Fearon and Steve Smith disappointingly firing straight at Fearon from the edge of the box when afforded the time and space to have a clear view of goal.
The second half began in much brighter fashion and the visitors came a coat of paint away from taking the lead after forty eight minutes when front man Michael Hall saw his shot deflected on to Phil Priestley's crossbar and away for a corner before Lancaster somehow survived a mad goalmouth scramble with both Craig Carney and Marvin McDonald seeing attempts desperately blocked in the area.
In somewhat of a glut of goalmouth action, Lancaster immediately charged upfield when clearing the previous scramble with Mike Rushton forcing a great low save from Priestley that landed at the feet of Hall who fired wildly over the crossbar.
The visitors made a double substitution shortly after the half hour mark but it was Leigh doing most of the running and Fearon had to be at his best to superbly tip a rasping Millington strike over the crossbar from outside of the area.
The golden chance of the evening came on eighty one minutes when youngster Craig Carney managed to break free of a challenge in the area and create enough space to release a shot that beat Fearon and was heading for the back of the net, only to be desperately hacked off the line by the alert Neil Marshall as he retreated behind his goalkeeper.
With basement side Ossett Albion suffering a 5-0 thumping at Bamber Bridge, Leigh are now two points clear of bottom spot with a game in hand, though they need to start picking up more points ahead of a hectic schedule with a trip to the Wirral this Saturday (5th March) to take on Cammell Laird in a 3pm kick off before fellow strugglers Prescot Cables are the visitors to Crilly Park the following Tuesday (8th March, 7.45pm).
Leigh Genesis; Phil Priestley, Rob Flint, Scott Sephton, Steve Ferrigan, Alex Grisedale, Dave Dempsey, Craig Carney, Connor Millington, Stuart Rudd, Steve Smith, Marvin McDonald (Dale McDonald 88). Subs (not used); Jack Smith, Simon Pendlebury, Adam Parkhouse
| LEIGH GENESIS 0 LANCASTER CITY 0 Tuesday 1st March 2011 Evo-Stik League First Division North Crilly Park, Atherton Attendance: 71 Half time: LGFC 0 Lancaster City 0 | |
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LG-SA.co.uk
Well played tonight Leigh.
LG-SA.co.uk
LG-SA.co.uk
LG-SA.co.uk