Twiss and shout!

LEIGH RMI managed to shrug off injuries to three of their key squad members to carve out one of the most convincing 1-0 results in the history of football at fellow relegation-candidates Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday night.

Striker Dino Maamria limped off three minutes before the break with a muscle strain and he was followed to the bench by both Dave German and Ian Swan in the second half as they both picked up knocks.

But normal service was resumed for the Railwaymen as they won for the fourth time in five matches to move a further three points clear of the relegation zone.

Continuous torrents of rain on Tameside had cast the game into doubt beforehand and Leigh must have wished that the referee had called the game off just 40 seconds in when Sammy Ayorinde blazed through a notably lightweight Leigh defence but scuffed his shot wide of Westhead's goal.

From that moment onwards though, Leigh assumed superiority in all areas of the pitch and could have scored through Tony Black and Michael Twiss before the break. The latter was ruled to be in an offside position as he picked the ball up eight yards out, although goalkeeper Leigh Walker made a tremendous save in any event. Walker was indeed the man of the first half for the home side, making a further good parry to deny Ged Kielty but he could only stand and watch as Black's snap shot from thirty yards sailed over the bar.

RMI though were boosted by a resurgent Kielty on whose shoulders each visiting attack revolved. It was quite bizarre in the context of the game therefore that the only goal largely bypassed these individuals.

It came midway through the second half when Dave German pumped a long and hopeful ball down the left-flank and Marcus Hallows gave spirited chase. Hallows made it to the by-line before Paul Beesley, cut the ball back and invited Twiss to do the rest: his left-footed effort sweetly timed and beat Walker to nestle in the bottom corner of the net.

Still, the Railwaymen had chances to wrap the three points up but contrived not to take them. Hallows was too individualistic after a run down the right hand side had taken him into the penalty area, and he failed to square for Twiss to have doubled the margin.

With just the slender one goal margin to preserve, Leigh fans would always play out the last 10 minutes with their hearts in their mouths and almost saw their worst fears realised when Ben Futcher appeared at the far post unmarked but could not head the ball goalbound and the opportunity was lost.

Leigh therefore emerged victorious from Bower Fold and moved up to 15th position in the Nationwide Conference but they face another local relegation six-pointer at Chester City on Saturday. Kick off is at 3pm.

Leigh: Westhead, Harrison, German (Heald 86), Durkin, Swan (Farrell 79), Kielty, Monk, Ridings, Maamria (Hallows 42), Black, Twiss. Subs unused: Fisher, Thompson.