LEIGH RMI will play their first match in three weeks when they travel to Southport on Saturday, but they will do so without Gerry Harrison and Dino Maamria. Harrison faces suspension after his sending off in December's clash with Doncaster while Maamria will spend the first game of 2002 in the stands rather than lining up against his former club after collecting five bookings.

It is a game that the Railwaymen can ill afford to lose after defeat in four of the last five Conference matches. With Scarborough and Dover continuing to pick up vital wins at the bottom over the festive period, the pressure is now on Steve Waywell's men.

However, their record against the Sandgrounders is far from disastrous. It was at Haig Avenue last season that Leigh claimed their first win in the Conference thanks to penalties from Peter Cumiskey and Tony Black, and goals from Steve Jones and Dave Ridings allowed the Railwaymen to take a share of the spoils away from the return match. Such fortune has since deserted them though, as was shown in an earlier meeting between the two in September which Phil Wilson's men edged by the odd goal in three. Nevertheless, Southport's season has not lived up to expectations after the departure of manager Mark Wright to Oxford and should Leigh equal the tremendous support that they gained at Haig Avenue last year, they may prove quite a hard side to beat.