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Gainsborough Trinity 2 Leigh RMI 1

By Matt Lawton April 12 2008
Leigh RMI will be playing UniBond Premier League football next season after they were relegated from the Blue Square North with defeat at Gainsborough Trinity, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort from Steve Bleasdale’s side.

Although hosts Gainsborough in theory had very little to play for in a mid-table position that is too far from the play-offs and a long way from the dogfight at the bottom, the midweek press had included several statements of desire from players and manager alike that they are desperate to finish above neighbouring former Football League side Boston United, and as such it was Trinity that did much of the early running, RMI goalkeeper Tim Dittmer making a brave save at the feet of Ryan Mallon after the striker had cut inside.

After twenty four minutes, Leigh's vociferous travelling support were momentarily silenced when midfielder Liam Needham smashed a terrific thirty yard shot past Dittmer to put the hosts in front, but that lead was to last only six minutes as young Leigh striker Richard Chetcuti did well to beat his marker before knocking the ball past Adam Sollitt in the Gainsborough goal.

With the sides seemingly going to go in to the half time break on level terms, RMI's hearts were broken virtually right on the half time whistle when a controversial free kick was given against Jonathan Goulding, with Wes Parker taking advantage of some slack marking to head the free kick past Dittmer.

Gainsborough appeared happy with their one goal lead in the second half and rarely threatened Dittmer, while RMI struggled to get back in to the game, forcing Sollitt in to only one decent save when he did well to pluck the ball out of the air as Brad Maylett tried to lob the ball over him.

As the final whistle prompted a pitch invasion from the travelling support to thank the players for their effort throughout the season, the cold light of day will see the club now contemplate football at a lower level next season in their new home at the Leigh Sports Village.

Leigh RMI; Tim Dittmer, Scott Metcalfe, Andy Wright (Cayne Hanley), Jonathan Goulding, Paul Booth, Rob Marsh-Evans, Brad Maylett (Steve Settle), Robin Gibson (Neil Carroll), Gavin Salmon, Richard Chetcuti, Owen Roberts

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