With visitors Hucknall arriving at Hilton Park with just one league point to their name so far this season, secured in their 1-1 home draw with Hinckley on Saturday, the game was certainly amongst the home support as one that could halt RMI’s alarming slump in form in recent games, culminating in Saturday’s disappointing 3-1 loss at Worcester City.

As has been the case on several occasions already this season, Leigh’s defensive weakness at set pieces proved largely the problem in defeat, and such a lack of organisation almost proved costly again when a Hucknall corner was allowed to bounce across the face of goal, only for visiting full back Bobby Wilson to fire wildly over the crossbar when left with the goal gaping in front of him at the back post.

Such a fright, however, proved to be an isolated threat as RMI could have previously taken the lead on two occasions within seconds of each other after barely seven minutes of play, when Kieran Lugsden met a Michael Warwick corner, only to denied by a terrific point blank save from goalkeeper Saul Deeney, with Lugsden’s attempt on the rebound being cleared off the line.

Lugsden, partnering Kevin Rapley in attack with the return on the right flank of Steve Settle, was proving to be a major thorn in Hucknall’s side when, after being denied with his two previous attempts, he had a smart half-volley comfortably saved by Deeney before having a goal ruled out for offside.

It was from another Warwick corner that RMI were to have their final effort of the half when they were again denied by a man on the line, with Alistair Asher proving to be Hucknall’s saviour on this occasion after clearing Kevin Rapley’s goal bound header.

With the Hucknall goal leading a somewhat charmed life, there was almost a feeling that it was to be another frustrating evening for the home supporters, but those thoughts were dispelled within three minutes of the restart when Lugsden latched on to a Steve Settle through ball to somehow squeeze the ball beneath the otherwise flawless Deeney and in to the net.

Conceding such a goal may have sparked other sides in to action, but Hucknall struggled to compete with the hardworking, yet unlikely, midfield pairing of Lee Unsworth and Andy Heald, who both performed admirably in unfamiliar central roles in the absence of both Phil Charnock and Scott Willis.

Unfortunately for RMI, former Bury man Unsworth was to soon find himself back in his usual position at right back when skipper Mark Maddox, making his first start of the season after a long lay-off, was forced from the field with another injury that meant a degree of reorganisation, with Gavin Lee-Ellison moving to centre back and substitute Mark Jackson playing in central midfield as opposed to his usual striking role.

With twelve minutes left on the clock, RMI’s victory was secured when the impressive Steve Settle was again the provider, with his sumptuous through ball put Lugsden in the clear to slot the ball past Deeney and claim his third goal of the season.

Lugsden could well have earned himself the match ball in the final ten minutes of his side’s victory but he had to be content with a double after a delicate chip had looped over the crossbar before shooting inches past the post after a neat lay-off from substitute Ilucio Da Costa.

Hucknall’s only serious effort of the second half came at the start of stoppage time when substitute Liam Hearns shot wide of the target, but it wasn’t close enough to threaten RMI’s first clean sheet, and indeed first home victory, of the season ahead of Saturday’s visit to Nuneaton Borough and their new stadium (2:30pm kick off).