With Andrew Teague, Rob Marsh-Evans, Brad Maylett, Jerome Watt and Darren Mansaram all missing from the Leigh starting line up, Genesis manager Steve Bleasdale had to make several changes, with a somewhat unfamiliar combination of Richard Chetcuti and Mark Smyth on the flanks, with the latter making his first start of the season, while a makeshift centre back pairing of Josh Wilson and Jerome Fitzgerald was backed up in midfield by a first start for Tom Field.
With an attendance of over 200 witnessing Leigh's return to Hilton Park, the boisterous support that was lended to the hosts was rewarded on twenty one minutes when Jordan Stepien half-volleyed home his first ever goal for the club after a long ball through was nodded down to the former Bury striker on the edge of the area.
However, to the disappointment of the majority of the crowd, Genesis were pegged back just seven minutes later when Steve Williams scrambled home an equaliser after the ball had originally deceived Leigh goalkeeper Steve Dickinson.
With the Leythers dominating not only in the off-field singing contest but also in on-field matters, they created a number of chances with Matt Berkeley and Mark Smyth forcing saves out of Prescot goalkeeper Ian Lowe, before Leigh finally claimed the decisive second goal on seventy one minutes when Smyth's left wing corner was headed home by Josh Wilson at the back post, the defender's first ever Leigh Genesis goal.
From there on in, Leigh largely toyed with their visitors and, although they didn't grab what might have been a deserved third goal, they did enough to conserve their energy ahead of Saturday's game with Frickley Athletic at Radcliffe Borough and claim a deserved three points, and indeed local bragging rights, over their rivals.
Leigh Genesis; Steve Dickinson, Paul Booth, Alex Mortimer, Tom Field (Reece Kelly), Josh Wilson (Ben McHugh), Jerome Fitzgerald, Richard Chetcuti (Jonathan Goulding), Chris Holland, Jordan Stepien, Matt Berkeley, Mark Smyth
Date: | Tuesday 2nd September 2008 |
Venue: | Hilton Park, Leigh, Lancashire |
Attendance: | 215 |
Half time: | Genesis 1 Prescot 1 |
Competition: | UniBond Premier League |
Scorers: | |
Leigh Genesis | Jordan Stepien, Josh Wilson |
Prescot Cables | Steve Williams |
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