Despite fielding a largely full-strength side, not too different from the one that was unlucky to lose 1-0 at Nuneaton last week, RMI capitulated in the second half to fall to a humiliating defeat that won't have been good watching for the club's financial managers.

Although defender Gavin Lee-Ellison wasn't in the starting line up for the first time this season and midfielder Scott Willis joined the suspended Kevin Rapley on the sidelines, it was a Leigh side that took to the field at Station View that would ordinarily be more than capable of defeating a side that play two divisions below the Blue Square North outfit in the Unibond League First Division (North).

In keeping with their recently poor form, RMI started slowly but there was little sign of things to come when they took the lead in the first half when Mark Jackson latched on to a through ball to dribble around the goalkeeper and slot away his first goal of the season.

However, the lead wasn't to last too long as first Richard Marshall levelled the scores before the hosts took the lead shortly before half time when a shot from outside the box was excellently curled in to the bottom corner of John Lamb's net.

The second half saw RMI struggle to gain any sort of foothold and the game was largely decided as a contest when a Danny Davidson shot from outside the Leigh penalty area gave the home side a two goal cushion, before a late free kick completed the shock rout and end RMI's Cup hopes for another season.

Stuart Humphreys' side will have to quickly recover from such a poor performance when they travel to Barrow, comfortable 5-0 victors over Colwyn Bay, for a First Round tie in the Setanta Shield.

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