Leigh RMI 0 Doncaster Rovers 2 - THEY had three times more efforts on goal than Leigh. They had a staggering six times more supporters than Leigh and crucially on the night, they scored two pivotal goals.

At a time when RMI most needed a good start to a Conference campaign, Doncaster Rovers hit town.

Leigh had never beaten the ex-League club in four previous meetings, while conceding 11 goals in the process, but they had kept matters pretty tight at the back until Wayne Maden started a personal six-minute horror show by gifting the visitors a penalty.

Maden was reckless in apprehending Justin Jackson in his tracks and lay with his head firmly buried in the turf as referee Bannister pointed to the spot.

Unstoppable

Paul Barnes showed no sign of nerves from 12 yards and when Jackson made it two with an unstoppable effort in injury-time, the scoreline had

flattered the illustrious South Yorkshire side.

Having said that though, Leigh created little of note and having seemingly played for 0-0 within sight of the finishing line, perhaps they deserved the reverse. They were punished for missing a rare guilt-edged opportunity 10 minutes before the break when Neil Durkin set Dino Maamria away only for him to force a tremendous save out of Andy Warrington.

In a scrappy first half, Donny just about shaded proceedings.

Point-blank

They had struck an upright through Kevin Sandwith and would have certainly scored through Jackson had Francis Tierney's pull-back not hit him on the heel as he shaped for the shot from point-blank range.

Gareth Owen skipped past a few defenders for Rovers before he also thumped an effort off the woodwork off the well-stretched arms of Coburn.

But for Leigh, their struggle to score goals may prove expensive in the final shake-up. It has certainly cost them a couple of points to date.