Leigh RMI 1, Nuneaton Borough 1by Martyn Hindley

TWO spectacular goals in four action-packed minutes at Hilton Park helped this game avoid the ignominious distinction of becoming the most tedious

sporting contest ever.

Nuneaton came to frustrate the Railwaymen and almost produced a smash and grab victory through an RMI old-boy four minutes from the end.

Lee Howey pumped a high ball towards the danger zone more in hope than anticipation with ex-Leigh striker Mark Quayle the only blue shirt within 20 yards of the ball. Undeterred though, Quayle - who netted a hat-trick

against Leigh for Telford twelve months ago - smashed a glorious angled effort over a stranded Stuart Coburn from all of 25 yards to send a stunned silence around the ground.

After three home successes on the bounce, a reverse was not what the crowd had turned up to see and RMI were to gain their deserved share of the spoils with a last gasp leveller.

On-loan Stuart Whittaker is sure to become a popular individual with fans with the kind of speed and agility usually reserved for wing wizard Steve Jones, but he also helped curry favour with the locals by bending a last minute free-kick past Chris MacKenzie's valiantly outstretched right-hand.

The opportunity had been created by Andy Heald's surging run from midfield and it was no coincidence that Leigh looked more threatening once the versatile youngster was pushed forward.

Prior to that, both goalkeepers had been as busy as Michael Barrymore's agent with clear cut chances at a premium. Dino Maamria's mis-hit cross almost caught out MacKenzie before cannoning to safety off the frame whilst at the other end, Quayle missed a guilt-edged header from eight yards after Gary Jones had breezed unchallenged down the right hand side.

Even as Leigh picked up the pace after the break, they continued to defend

deeply and caution prevailed over creativity. Tony Black drilled the ball across the bows of the six yard box on the hour but there was nobody on hand to finish the move off, while Heald's adventurous attempt from 35 yards represented the only other effort of note.

Leigh may have left it late to take their points tally for the season into double figures, but as Waywell says, the point was richly deserved. "I thought that at times we sat back far too much and we are not a side who are capable of beating teams by playing that way. Credit where it is due, they showed us that they wanted it after half-time although if we had scored before half-time I think we would have won the game comfortably."

Leigh move two points clear of the relegation zone after the draw, but they

are still to take a point away from Hilton Park.

RMI: Coburn, Durkin, Maden, Heald, Salt, Fitzhenry (Whitehead 80), Monk,

Kielty (Fisher 80), Maamria, Black (Williams 66), Whittaker. Subs unused:

McGill, Courtney. Attendance: 401.