Chester City, Leigh RMI 1 THE second half dismissal of Burnley's on-loan defender Mick Devenney marred a gloriously brave Leigh RMI performance at the Deva Stadium where they were only denied a gutsy victory by Darren Wright's last-gasp leveller.
The early stages of the encounter were fraught, yet apart from one Steve Jones effort in the first 10 minutes, Chester were the dominant side without threatening too much in terms of goalmouth action.
This was all to change in the 19th minute, when Liverpudlian referee Stephen Coffey awarded a penalty to the former League club when he judged that Devenney had pushed Mark Beesley. Andy Porter's penalty was well saved by the ageless Dave Felgate, who completed a double save by smothering Beesley's effort from the rebound.
It was almost the first piece of action that the majority of RMI fans had seen, as the Supporters Club coach was obstructed by a series of traffic cones and they missed the first 11 minutes as a consequence. There was no action of any real note before the break, and, without the suspended duo of Dave Ridings and Ged Kielty in midfield, it would have been RMI who were the happiest with the blank half-time scoresheet.
The second half started disastrously for Steve Waywell's men, as Devenney's second caution for a midfield fracas with Fisher meant that Leigh were to play the remaining 37 minutes a man short. Rather than make the already dominant Chester rampant, it gave Leigh the inspiration to chase the game, with German, Harris and Jones outstanding.
Jones started to receive the ball with refreshing regularity, and the effects were mesmerising. Beesley, Fisher and Lancaster were all booked after being outclassed by the winger, and the visitors may have felt aggrieved at referee Coffey's ruling that the latter was not the 'last man' and therefore did not merit a red card.
By this time, the ex-Football League side could have recorded a contender for goal of the season when Blackburn's splendid 30 yard drive dipped viciously before cannoning off the underside of the crossbar and to safety.
The deadlock was finally broken with 11 minutes remaining under controversial circumstances. Paul Carden tripped Tony Black, and the prolific striker stepped forward to crash his eighth of the season into the top corner. Things could have got worse still for Chester as Udall's goalbound header left Brown stranded and Ruffer's outstretched limbs managed to scramble the ball off the goal-line.
Eventually, however, the one man deficiency did take its toll, as substitute Wright pounced to equalise deep into stoppage time. It was a bitter blow for the Railwaymen, yet sharing the points was nothing more than either side deserved.
RMI: Felgate, Scott, Devenney, Udall, Farrell, Swan, Monk (Critchley 55), German, Harris, Black (Durkin 81) Jones. Subs not used: Dootson, Morrell, Matthews.
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