Barnet 2 Leigh RMI 1: LEIGH RMI have goalkeeper Ian Martin to thank for preventing a trouncing on the final day of the Conference season at Barnet.
Martin produced a number of wonderous saves to deny the play-off chasing Bees at Underhill and even saved a second half penalty from Ian Hendon.
But the pressure of Barnet's 17 shots on target was unrelenting and a Leigh side which has cracked under less strain, just couldn't resist.
They took a sixth minute lead when Tristran Whitman was felled by Hendon and Dave McNiven crashed the resulting penalty confidently down the centre.
But that was where the smiling ended for Leigh.
Guiliano Grazioli was on the goal trail again after a hat-trick had sunk Mark Patterson at Hilton Park earlier in the season. The striker did everything but finish as Martin twice denied him with his legs in the space of two minutes and Martyn Lancaster cleared one off the line.
But the hosts couldn't be held for long as Ismail Yakubu headed them level from a Liam Hatch free-kick.
Hatch spurned countless chances to secure the points - the most notable being a shocking miss from two yards out. But he played his part in the eventual winner - flicking on a long free-kick for Grazioli to bury a half-volley from 15 yards.
Any hopes of a Leigh fightback were ended when Liam Coyne was sent off for handling Grazioli's goalbound shot on the line just eight minutes after coming
on as a substitute. Martin kept out Hendon's spot-kick with an outstanding dive away to his right.
But despite his best efforts, Leigh's relegation will be confirmed on May 31 unless either Margate or Telford are demoted through off-the-field matters.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article