LEIGH RMI 1, STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 3: RMI's hopes of a second successive victory lasted for an hour before Stalybridge's superiority finally told.

The Railwaymen, who had recorded a rare win over Workington on Boxing Day, scored with their only meaningful attack of the game in the eighth minute, but that was as good as it got.

However brave and resilient Leigh tried to be, they faced constant bombardment on their goal, and the only surprise was that it took until the 60th minute before keeper Tim Dittmer, who had denied Celtic with a string of fine saves, was finally beaten.

Robin Gibson gave struggling RMI the perfect start when he smashed the ball into the top corner of the net in the eighth minute, but that proved to be their only chance of the game.

Big-spending Stalybridge, fresh from a 3-1 triumph over Blue Square North leaders Hyde in midweek, were far superior to the Railwaymen, who resorted to desperate defending, particularly in the second-half when they had to play into the face of a torrential rainstorm.

Time and again a goal looked on the cards only for Dittmer or a wayward shot to keep Leigh in the game.

Their resilience finally broke on the hour when Chris Hall forced the ball home and when Andy Heald was shown a red card for punching an opponent 10 minutes later, any chance of a recovery looked remote.

Seven minutes later and the visitors class told when, despite the attrocious conditions, the ball was neatly played out to Simon Garner and he placed a powerful shot into the top corner of the net.

Five minutes from time and full-back Andrew Smart unleashed a 30 yards drive which skidded past the keeper to put the game out of reach.

The defeat left the Railwaymen bottom of the table again and Steve Bleasdale a frustrated manager.

"It was disappointing, particularly after we went in at half-time 1-0 up," he said.

"The heavens opened in the second-half and we could not get out of our own half."