Leigh RMI 1 Gravesend & Northfleet 2
By Matt Lawton March 31 2004
A late goal from David McNiven wasn’t enough to save Leigh RMI from their second defeat in a row as they were plunged further in to relegation trouble at the foot of the Nationwide Conference table.
A late goal from David McNiven wasn’t enough to save Leigh RMI from their second defeat in a row as they were plunged further in to relegation trouble at the foot of the Nationwide Conference table.
RMI went in to the game full of hope and desperation that victory would come their way as they attempt to make their second Nationwide Conference 'great escape' in two years, but they were never really in contention in a tight, scrappy first half.
The visitors had the first chance of the half on fourteen minutes when Lee Shearer went close with a header from an Andrew Drury corner, while Ian Martin was later tested by a Justin Skinner free kick which he had to punch away.
RMI's first chance of the half fell to Robbie Williams who headed Carl Rezai's cross wide of the goal on his home debut.
Unsuprisingly, the game was locked at 0-0 at the break with neither side having very many chances, with an early effort from Carl Rezai summing up the half - it wildly flew twenty yards wide of the goal.
RMI tried to step it up a gear and manager Phil Starbuck signalled his side's intent, bringing on Trinidadian striker Mario Daniel on for injured centre-back Steve Redmond as the hosts looked for a vital goal.
On-loan striker Tristram Whitman went tantalisingly close with a right-footed shot which crept past the far post with the goalkeeper beaten. However, it was the visitors who took the lead with less than twenty minutes remaining, going straight up the other end after Whitman's chance and James Pinnock fired the ball home after RMI's Australian goalkeeper Ian Martin failed to clear the ball and mis-kicked it, giving Pinnock a chance he couldn't refuse.
The visitors then quickly made it 2-0 barely two minutes later when Roy Essandoh, who famously once led Wycombe Wanderers to the semi-final's of the FA Cup after signing for the club via the internet, headed Andrew Drury's cross past a stranded Ian Martin.
RMI pulled one back in the last minute of normal time through an excellent overhead kick from top scorer David McNiven, but it was too little, too late and RMI failed to equalise, despite a period of five minutes time added on at the end of the game.
Thankfully, RMI's relegation rivals Halifax Town were hammered 4-1 at home by Burton Albion, who ironically visit Hilton Park this Saturday, but RMI also have to keep their side of the bargain, and that is something which they are failing to do at the minute, with time quickly running out.
The visitors had the first chance of the half on fourteen minutes when Lee Shearer went close with a header from an Andrew Drury corner, while Ian Martin was later tested by a Justin Skinner free kick which he had to punch away.
RMI's first chance of the half fell to Robbie Williams who headed Carl Rezai's cross wide of the goal on his home debut.
Unsuprisingly, the game was locked at 0-0 at the break with neither side having very many chances, with an early effort from Carl Rezai summing up the half - it wildly flew twenty yards wide of the goal.
RMI tried to step it up a gear and manager Phil Starbuck signalled his side's intent, bringing on Trinidadian striker Mario Daniel on for injured centre-back Steve Redmond as the hosts looked for a vital goal.
On-loan striker Tristram Whitman went tantalisingly close with a right-footed shot which crept past the far post with the goalkeeper beaten. However, it was the visitors who took the lead with less than twenty minutes remaining, going straight up the other end after Whitman's chance and James Pinnock fired the ball home after RMI's Australian goalkeeper Ian Martin failed to clear the ball and mis-kicked it, giving Pinnock a chance he couldn't refuse.
The visitors then quickly made it 2-0 barely two minutes later when Roy Essandoh, who famously once led Wycombe Wanderers to the semi-final's of the FA Cup after signing for the club via the internet, headed Andrew Drury's cross past a stranded Ian Martin.
RMI pulled one back in the last minute of normal time through an excellent overhead kick from top scorer David McNiven, but it was too little, too late and RMI failed to equalise, despite a period of five minutes time added on at the end of the game.
Thankfully, RMI's relegation rivals Halifax Town were hammered 4-1 at home by Burton Albion, who ironically visit Hilton Park this Saturday, but RMI also have to keep their side of the bargain, and that is something which they are failing to do at the minute, with time quickly running out.
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