By Matt Lawton
January 20 2009

Lee Merricks’ cabbage patch kids came unstuck on a cabbage patch of a playing surface in the Merseyside rain as a goal in each half secured a vital three points for fellow basement battlers Prescot Cables.

With both sides currently struggling for goals, it was always likely to be a war of attrition in weather conditions that certainly weren't suited towards a flowing encounter, although the game developed in to an entertaining contest as neither side managed to maintain any particular long period of pressure without the threat of being caught on the counter attack.

Backed by a vocal travelling support, Leigh players and supporters were left perplexed and frustrated on thirty five minutes when referee Mr. Robinson and his assistant failed to spot an almost blatant handball by a Prescot defender in his own area, despite neither official being any more than ten yards from the incident.

Eighteen year old Kyle Lambert, signed earlier in the day having been released from his professional contract with League Two side Rochdale, was having an impressive debut in the heart of Leigh's midfield, and he came within a whisker of putting his new side in front when collecting the ball from a bout of post-corner ping-pong and arrowing a shot narrowly wide of the post.

Genesis striker Phil Marsh forced a smart save from Cables goalkeeper Zak Jones before the home side took the lead on forty two minutes when midfielder Jamie McCulloch picked up a stray ball in the centre of midfield and, with little option for a pass, brought the ball forward a few paces before unleashing an unstoppable thirty yard strike that flew above shell-shocked Leigh goalkeeper Danny Morton and in to the top corner of the net.

With just three minutes of the second half played, Prescot doubled their lead when they were awarded a penalty after winger Mick O'Donnell was brought down by a trailing Genesis leg just inside the area, with Morton desperately unlucky not to have kept out Karl Bell's resultant spot kick.

With forwards Ross Thaker and Chris McCaughtrie introduced from the substitutes bench, Leigh's young side poured forward in the hope of halving the deficit, but their attempts at creating openings through good football were proving futile on a boggy and uneven pitch that certainly wasn't conducive to their passing style, with any more direct balls being comfortably dealt with by the Prescot defence.

Leigh's main threat came from a rather unlikely source, with right back Richmond Botchey forcing Jones in to a terrific save with a rocket of a twenty-five yard strike that originally might have looked a little over-optimistic, but appeared to be heading straight for the back of the net before Jones' intervention.

Leigh substitutes Thaker and McCaughtrie both had opportunities to strike from the edge of the area, but their attempts were comfortably saved as they looked to place their shots rather than go for pure power.

As it was, any sort of comeback proved to be elusive, with Leigh now travelling to Matlock Town on Saturday in hope of a positive result, before welcoming neighbours FC United of Manchester to the Leigh Sports Village Stadium for the inaugural football fixture at Leigh's new home next Tuesday (27th January, 7:45pm).

Leigh Genesis; Danny Morton, Richmond Botchey, Kris King, Chris Page, Ben McHugh, Scott Sephton (Chris McCaughtrie), Dale Whitham (Ross Thaker), Kyle Lambert (David Hill), Phil Marsh, Alex Cunliffe, Steve Settle

• The Leigh Genesis Supporters Association are running a coach trip to Saturday's game at Matlock Town, with the coach leaving Leigh at 11am and seats costing just £14 each. Further information is available by e-mailing awaytravel@lg-sa.co.uk