Ten years to the day since Leigh RMI famously drew 1-1 with Kevin Keegan’s Fulham at Craven Cottage, Lee Merricks’ modern-day Leigh side drew on that same fighting spirit to twice recover from a goal down to claim a valuable point.

With senior midfielders Chris Holland and Brad Maylett departing for Blue Square North outfit Fleetwood Town earlier in the week, 26-year old striker Martin Ormesher and 19-year-old midfielder Nathan Smith were the only players to come remotely close to dragging up the average age of a Leigh side packed with players barely out of school.

The hosts took the lead on 32 minutes when winger Leon Scott cut inside from the left flank to fire across Dean Porter and into the net.

However, Leigh were back on level terms within four minutes of the restart through Sam Parkinson.

Whitby took the lead again thanks to Tony Hackworth’s penalty.

Then, Merricks’ spirited young charges again upset the odds, equalising for a second time with just 19 minutes remaining. Livewire striker Chris McCaughtrie finally beat the Whitby offside trap to slice his way through to goal and coolly slot home.