Canvey 3 Leigh RMI 0: LEIGH suffered their sixth consecutive defeat in a game they wanted called off.

RMI, who are facing another relegation battle, made an appeal to get the game postponed after an outbreak of mumps and flu had hit the Hilton Park camp.

Their appeal was turned down and Canvey Island must be glad it was as they cruised to victory.

Things got worse for RMI just before the game when defender Chris Lane became ill and had to be pulled out of the squad.

Such was the acute shortage of players at manager Phil Starbuck's disposal that he was forced to name himself as one of only three substitutes.

Canvey's Ollie Berquez rose above the Leigh defenders to head in a Jon Keeling free kick to put the home side ahead at the break.

Canvey came out of the blocks quickly after the interval and Keeling put them 2-0 up inside two minutes of the restart.

Leigh responded manfully and made a fight of it with the wind at their backs.

They forced 12 corners but could not find a way through the Canvey defence and the home side wrapped up the victory when Junior McDougal scored a breakaway goal in the dying minutes.