By Matt Lawton
January 12 2009

Two extra time goals saw Leigh Genesis knocked out of the UniBond League Challenge Cup at the Third Round stage, but the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story as Lee Merricks’ young side were arguably the better side for much of the 120 minutes at Hurst Cross.

With temperatures in double figures appearing to put an end to the ‘big freeze', it was to be just Leigh's luck that torrential mid-afternoon rain risked putting paid to this League Cup tie, with the fixture in doubt up until the downpours ended an hour prior to kick off, leaving the pitch drenched in many areas.

With both sides seemingly more concerned with their respective UniBond Premier League campaigns, there was little urgency in the early stages as each side traded speculative shots from distance that troubled neither Ashton goalkeeper Terry Smith, nor Genesis debutant goalkeeper Danny Morton.

Leigh centre back Chris Page headed wide from a corner before the first serious chance of the half fell to impressive Genesis striker Phil Marsh, who saw his twenty five yard free kick tipped superbly over the crossbar by Smith.

Although Ashton threatened occasionally with shots from distance, they struggled to break down their resolute defence, with Leigh ended the half the strongest with a jinking run from midfielder Nick Linford eventually ended in a shot from the edge of the area that screaming wide of the target.

The second half started brightly for the visitors as Linford threaded a delightful through ball for Marsh to chase, the striker sending a shot flashing across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.

As the second period reached the midway point, Ashton started to create more chances in front of goal as Ian Bennett glanced a Danny Caldecott cross wide of the target before Genesis left back Kris King was in the right place at the right time to block a Gareth Richards header on the line from an Ashton corner.

With the desperation level increasing as extra time loomed on the horizon, the game became an entertaining and open contest as Leigh looked to win the game within ninety minutes; Ashton goalkeeper Terry Smith doing magnificently to bravely claim the ball from Marsh's feet as the Genesis striker found himself clean through following an inventive one-two with winger Steve Settle, minutes before Marsh cut inside to send a wonderful curling shot inches past the post with Smith beaten.

With just three minutes left on the clock, it looked as though Leigh had the victory that they deserved when referee Mr. Thorley ruled that Gareth Richards had controlled a Leigh corner with his arm, with Marsh stepping up to dispatch the resultant spot kick for a richly-deserved spot on the scoresheet after a terrific performance.

However, it took just two further minutes for Richards to break Leigh hearts and atone for his previous error as he chased a long ball to nudge the ball past Morton and knock the ball in to the empty net to force thirty minutes of extra time after ninety minutes couldn't separate the sides.

In a cagey first half of extra time, the best chance was again to fall at Marsh's feet as he made space for himself to fire just past the post after a neat interchange with substitute Martin Ormesher, only for the hosts to take the lead after just three minutes of the second half of extra time when centre back Ian Kearney glanced Ian Howard's chipped cross past Morton.

It looked as though Leigh might repeat Ashton's previous trick of instantly levelling the scores, but Dale Whitham's clever touch and Marsh's drilled shot were matched by the heroics of goalkeeper Smith, who did superbly to palm the ball over the crossbar as the visitors searched for an equaliser.

That search was to end only moments before the final whistle when an exhausted Page tried to deal with a long ball by heading it clear from danger, only to nod it in to the path of substitute Astley Mullholland's fresh legs, who raced through on goal and fired in to the net to seal his side's passage in to the next round and a trip over the Pennines to UniBond Premier League rivals Guiseley.

Leigh Genesis; Danny Morton, Mark Radcliffe, Kris King (Chris Rogers), Ben McHugh (Scott Sephton), Chris Page, Alex Cunliffe, Dale Whitham, Nick Linford, Phil Marsh, David Hill, Steve Settle (Martin Ormesher)