Southport 4-2 Leigh RMI by Martyn Hindley

LEIGH'S hopes of first points away from Hilton Park were dashed in controversial fashion at Haig Avenue.

Steve Waywell's men were well in control of the first half until the start of stoppage time when Peter Thomson put space between himself and the last defender to lash home.

The three-pronged central defensive combination all stood arms aloft in anticipation of an offside decision.

But as the flag stayed pinned to the linesman's side it became apparant that it was not going to be RMI's night.

Worse was to follow less than two minutes later as even Thomson did not believe he was the right side of the line before hooking over a dejected Stuart Coburn.

After a prolonged pause gold shirts wheeled away in celebration and from a position of unquestionable strength, the visitors were left to chase the game. And they could not have gifted the on-form Sandgrounders a bigger head-start than the one obtained with a crucial third goal six minutes after half time.

Chris Lane split the erratic Leigh defence in two to send ex-Railwayman Steve Pickford clear, and the tricky midfielder duly obliged with a cool finish.

Yet few goals could match that of Gerry Harrison - handing Leigh a surprise 11th minute advantage with a thunderous drive.

But spectacular goals were far from exclusive at Haig Avenue. As Leigh bravely dragged themselves into contention, Phil Salt plundered a 30-yard swerving demon of an effort into the far corner and Dino Maamria would have made it a long distance treble for the Railwaymen had his sweetly struck effort not been denied by the crossbar.

The fourth goal that quite frankly flattered Southport was notched by substitute James Connolly in injury time, but the game was lost in those fateful first-half minutes.

Leigh: Coburn, Harrison, Durkin, Maden, Cornelly (Williams 61), Monk, Kielty

(McGill 85), Salt, Heald, Maamria, Black. Subs unused: Kendrick, Whitehead,

Courtney. Booked: Maamria (45 minutes; dissent)

Att: 1,097

Referee: Mr G. Mellor (Derby)