Leigh RMI 1 Southport 2 by David Magilton

INJURY-ravaged Leigh look like facing a long hard season.

The fifth place they recorded in their first term in the Conference seems a distant memory after they sunk to next to bottom of the table.

A string of injuries have not helped the cause and the list grew by one last night after influential midfielder Dave Ridings was stretchered off after damging knee ligaments.

Leigh's performance, particularly in the first-half, left a lot to be desired, but although outclassed by the visitors, were fortunate to concede only one goal. That came on the half hour when Barry Jones headed home a Tony Sullivan corner.

Leigh were much brighter after the break and good work by Ian Monk saw him cut inside and feed the ball to Tony Black, who hammered home a 66th minute equaliser, his first in 15 games.

Out of jail

Just when Leigh looked to have got out of jail their defence left substitute Kevin Leadbetter in the clear and even Dave Felgate, who performed heroics in goal, could do little to stop the ball flying into the top corner of the net.

As RMI assistant coach Dave Miller admitted, schoolboy errors cost Leigh at least a point.

"The injuries are not helping and we are always having to shuffle the side around, but when you commit an error at the back, at this level you do get punished," he said.

"To be fair the second-half performance was very good but after we equalised we made a stupid mistake and were left chasing the game again and you can't keep doing it. We just can't defend at the moment and it is costing us dear."