LEIGH RMI 1, DROYLSDEN 3 IT was a case of deja-vu as Leigh RMI crashed out of the FA Umbro Trophy 3-1 in their replay with Droylsden at Hilton Park last night.

The Bloods repeated their opening day victory to earn a second round tie at Lancaster and bring to an abrupt halt the Railwaymen's 15-match undefeated sequence.

Just as they did back in August, Leigh took an early lead, though this time it came from an unusual quarter. Graham Hill broke from the back, exchanged passes with Dave Ridings before beating his former team-mate, Mike Allison for his first goal in three years.

RMI then took command with Ian Owen clearing off the line from Chris Shaw with Allison well beaten. Shaw then rattled the post before Keith Evans missed an open goal right on the stroke of half-time after Allison had saved well from Kevin Booth.

Leigh boss Steve Waywell said: "That was the turning point. If we had gone in at the interval two up, it would have been game, set and match.

"As it was, they came out for the second-half fired up and we never looked like getting back into it."

Two Chris O'Brien goals inside eight minutes, just after the break, rocked the Railwaymen so much they never recovered.

Man of the Match Billy O'Callaghan set up O'Brien's volleyed first and then he tapped home after Dave Felgate could only push out Colin Heywood's low drive.

O'Callaghan then sealed it 10 minutes from time when a rare Felgate blunder left him with an open goal into which he planted his firm header.

Waywell added: "It is disappointing that our long unbeaten run has come to an end, especially after we did the hard work on Saturday.

"But we have one of the mot important games in the club's history coming up against Runcorn on Saturday and although it isn't the ideal preparation we will learn from this defeat and come back a stronger side."

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