Leigh RMI 1 Dover 2 by David Magilton

DOVER were the ones held up in traffic which forced a one hour delay to the kick-off but it was Leigh who found themselves in a jam.

The cash-hit Railwaymen were told last week that the financial plight of the club meant they would have to face a cut in their wages. Not surprisingly it was a sluggish looking Leigh side that started the game against Dover who were also at the wrong end of the Conference.

Three points for either side could be crucial in the final analysis and if Leigh are relegated their home form - this was their sixth defeat at Hilton Park - could be decisive.

Chances were few and far between in the first-half and Dover scored with their first chance of the game in the 21st minute when Matt Carruthers found Jimmy Strouts unmarked on the edge of the box and he fired home a powerful volley. Dover striker Keith Scott let Leigh off in the first minute of the second-half when he missed the easiest of chances, but made amends in the 53rd minute when he outjumped the Leigh defence to head home.

Within a minute the influential Neil Fisher gave the Railwaymen hope when he skipped past two defenders before firing a low shot inside the upright. The Railwaymen should have drawn level, they had the chances but Dino Maamria saw two headers brilliantly saved by keeper Paul Hyde.

Leigh boss Steve Waywell admitted it had been difficult to get his side motivated. "The players are down, the club is down, but I can't make that as an excuse. We had the chances to have won the game."