LEIGH RMI moved into fourth place in the UniBond Premiership after beating Gainsborough Trinity 1-0 at Hilton Park last night - their highest ever position in the pyramid system.

With games in hand on second place Runcorn and third in the table Boston, the runners-up spot is now well within reach - an amazing feat for the newly-promoted club.

"It is the best position the club has ever been in," confirmed chairman Chris Healey. "Instead of being on the fringe of the promotion race, we are firmly in it.

"We have to make sure our house is in order and the Conference Ground Grading Committee has confirmed what is required, so we must be prepared for any eventuality," explained the RMI boss.

RMI, who have only lost two league matches out of the last 20, have kept 22 clean sheets this season, but Gainsborough went close before Leigh made the crucial break-through.

Phil Brown curled a 20-yarder just over after being set up by his fellow striker Steve Circuit and Ian Brady cleared a Grant Morrow corner off the line with Dave Felgate beaten.

But Dave Riding's 76th minute inch-perfect pass found Eric Rostron inside the area and his first time shot deflected off the diving Adam Sollitt for his seventh goal of the season.

It wasn't a vintage RMI performance and without the injured Chris Shaw they lacked penetration up front - but the situation is all about grinding out results and that is precisely what they did although they had a late scare when substitute Luke Todd's header shaved the bar in the fifth minute of injury time.

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