By Matt Lawton
September 7 2010

A John Lawless header four minutes before half-time was enough for Leigh Genesis to haul themselves from the foot of the Evo-Stik League Division One North table with their first league victory of the season against Yorkshire side Garforth Town at Crilly Park on Tuesday evening.

While Leigh had only an FA Cup win over Runcorn Linnets to show for their efforts so far this season, visitors Garforth had fared little better with just a point from their opening four fixtures, suffering a heavy 6-2 defeat to Harrogate Railway Athletic and a 1-0 FA Cup humbling against Tadcaster Albion along the way.

Leigh looked a touch jittery at the back in the opening exchanges and were twice lucky to escape unscathed from breakdowns in communication between Judge and his defence that could have allowed the visitors a chance on goal.

The first genuine opportunity came Leigh's way on twenty three minutes when Joe Evans picked out Obasi at the back post with a terrific cross field pass, with Obasi lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Lee Kelsey but seeing the ball drop agonisingly wide of the target.

Genesis went close again on thirty three minutes when a Paul Williams corner broke to Andy Heald on the edge of the penalty area and he hammered a strike that swerved narrowly over Kelsey's crossbar.

Kelsey was eventually beaten on forty one minutes when, not the first time in the evening, Obasi showed some tremendous trickery on the left hand side to beat full back Milton Turner before finding Evans at the back post, who showed great determination to get to the by-line and create enough space to cross for John Lawless to head home his second goal in two goals at the back post, albeit with the aid of Kelsey's right hand post.

On the stroke of half-time, Evans and Lawless again combined with Evans delivering an inch-perfect cross from the left hand side that was begging to be finished, only for Lawless's diving header to scrape past the far post with Kelsey beaten, leaving Leigh a goal in front at the break.

Playing down the slope in the second half, Garforth immediately showed their intentions with a rare double substitution at half-time, but they struggled to create many clear-cut chances, despite largely dominating territory and possession, with the greater threat coming from Leigh's counter attacks, with substitute Nick Eastham particularly aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty with ten minutes remaining when he appeared to be nudged over in the penalty area when trying to meet an Evans cross.

The desperation of the visitors grew as the game went on, and Leigh were left to celebrate their first league win of the season after enduring a nervous four minutes of time added on. The frustration of the visitors boiled over at the final whistle, with captain Milton Turner confronting the match officials after the game had finished and promptly being booked for a second time and therefore a red card, having previously been shown a yellow card for a foul on Paul Hopkins, one of three Garforth players to be booked for fouls on the tireless Genesis winger.

Maddox and his Leigh side now turn their attention to the FA Cup, with £3,000 awaiting the winners of Saturday's trip to Vodkat Premier League side Rossendale United for a 3pm kick off. Leigh's next league fixture is a short trip to take on neighbours Warrington Town next Tuesday (14th September, 7.45pm), though this game will be postponed if either of the sides are involved in an FA Cup replay. Should Leigh draw with Rossendale then the replay will take place at Crilly Park on Tuesday 14th September with a 7.45pm kick off.

Leigh Genesis; Adam Judge, Scott Sephton, Paul Williams, James Bell, Gary Scott (Rick Gleave 90), Rowan Garnett, Paul Hopkins, Joe Evans, John Lawless (Nick Eastham 73), Andy Heald, Tom Obasi (Adam Strode 76)