DINO Maamria is hungry for a place in the Marsden Trophy final.

And the former Burnley trainee - who is now the Clarets' ethnic minorities officer - says he and his Leigh team-mates will take no prisoners when they host Chorley tonight.

"We want to win it, and we'll be expected to win it," Maamria said.

"We played Chorley last year in the same competition and beat them 4-0. But they are a good club with a good set-up so it won't be an easy game.

"They also have a big squad which I would imagine will stand them in good stead, especially when it comes to this stage of the season. The bigger the squad, the better it is for the team.

"It will have some advantage but I don't know how effective it will be tonight. We have a fully fit squad, and no suspensions to worry about, and we are determined to get to the final."

Maamria added that Nationwide Conference side Leigh had undergone something of a revival since former Rover Mark Patterson took over as manager in the New Year.

Patterson, who also turned out for Bolton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley and Rossendale United, has guided the Railwaymen up the table with a run which includes four wins in the last seven games and only one defeat in the last five outings.

And Maamria, who has been linked with a move to Stevenage, paid tribute to the new man at the helm.

"He's done brilliantly so far," he said. "He came in and changed a lot of things at the club.

"We've just signed Mark Ford, who used to play for Burnley and Leeds, on loan and he will be a good addition to the squad. We've also got Gerry Harrison playing in central midfield now and we look strong at the back.

"We look a lot more organised on and off the field than we've ever done before.

"That's showing in the games and the results we're getting so hopefully it's the start of things turning round for us."

And he believes a place in the Marsden Trophy final, hopefully against Accrington Stanley if they can overcome Kendal Town tomorrow night, will be the perfect reward for Patterson's efforts.

Leigh are now just one point from safety with a game in hand on fourth-from-bottom Nuneaten.

"The manager had a chat to us after our game on Saturday and he really wants to win the cup so we're going to give it a good go," said Maamria, who expects to have recovered from a cold in time to face the Magpies.

"One or two goals for me, or even three, would be nice."

LEIGH RMI defender John Robertson and forward Damien Whitehead have turned down a loan move to UniBond first division side Rossendale United.

The duo rejected the offer after talks with Rossendale boss Jim McBride last night.