CASH-stricken Leigh RMI are appealing to fans to turn out in force tomorrow if they wish to see the club survive.

The rearranged Conference League clash with Margate is the first home game in over a month and the first since the Railwaymen announced they were facing a financial crisis.

A £50,000 loan has staved off the immediate prospect of the club losing several of its best players but gates must improve if RMI are to survive in the long term.

Attendances have been hovering around the 400 mark and vice-chairman Alan Leach is appealing to fans to come out and support the team.

He said: "This is a match where the fans can prove they want a football team. Everyone knows we are in trouble and this is an ideal opportunity for them to show us. As a Board we have done everything we can, now it is up to supporters to come on down and back us up."

Meanwhile manager Steve Waywell takes his side into the game in the knowledge that they must improve at Hilton Park.

The Railwaymen moved into the bottom five for the first time since September after their 2-1 reverse at fellow strugglers Hayes last Saturday and the RMI boss could not overstate the importance of the next home game:

"Margate are obviously a good side and they are fourth in the league on merit. They are good away from home but we know that we are a good side as we showed when we played them earlier in the season. I will try to raise the players at training and if they give a hundred per cent it will be a good game."

Waywell was referring to their August meeting at Hartsdown Park when RMI fought back from a goal down to run out 2-1 winners. Troy Hayder and Dino Maamria were the goalscorers on that occasion, but Leigh will need to improve upon their lacklustre showing in front of goal last week if they are to emerge from the game with all three points:

He added: "We have missed plenty of chances that would have changed games and have conceded sloppy goals - it's fair to say that we have been poor at both ends of late."

Leigh have won just three of their ten games at home in the league this year whilst the Kent side - who won the Dr Martens League to gain their place in the Conference in May - have lost just one away game.

Steve Waywell is hoping that Mark Westhead will be fit to take his place in goal for the Railwaymen after a groin strain forced him off at half-time against Hayes.