Leigh RMI 3 Aldershot Town 3
By Matt Lawton September 12 2004
RMI snatched a point from the jaws of victory, throwing away a two goal lead going in to time added on at the end of the game against high flying 10-man Aldershot.
RMI snatched a point from the jaws of victory, throwing away a two goal lead going in to time added on at the end of the game against high flying 10-man Aldershot.
RMI went in to the game buoyed by last weekend's first victory of the season, after defeating a dire Forest Green side 2-0 at Hilton Park, but they knew that there weren't going to be too many gaps in quality between opponents as that of Forest Green, who are surely going to be relegated at the end of the season as they plunge from defeat to defeat, while today's full-time visitors from Aldershot are riding high in the Conference as they look to return to the Football League after a long absence.
RMI were on the attack within ten seconds of the start of the game, when former Rushden & Diamonds defender Ray Warburton blocked a shot from Chris Simm, before a poor cross from Karl Rose went out of play, while Alex Meechan also had a shot blocked ten minutes later, followed by Warburton again getting in the way of the ball, this time when Michael Byrne attempted a way through to goal.
Leigh's reward for their enthusiastic start was a goal on the half hour mark when former Bolton Wanderers and Aberdeen striker Michael Byrne, on loan from Stockport County, scored his first goal in RMI colours, heading home Ian Fitzpatrick's cross after Welshman Byrne was stamped on by Shots' Aaron McLean on the right hand touchline.
Leigh continued to try and find a way through in what was becoming a particularly fiery encounter, culminating in an off-the-ball sending off of Aldershot's Steve Watson, officially for "foul and abusive language", but he allegedly spat at an RMI man, which was spotted by the linesman.
The visitors equalised fifteen minutes after the restart when Chris Giles slotting home Darren Barnard's cross, but the Shots were behind again almost immediately, when Byrne's header smacked against the woodwork, only for the ball to end up in the back of the net after bouncing off the unwitting Phil Warner on the rebound.
Leigh had looked to have sealed the victory with less than nine minutes remaining when former Scarborough striker Karl Rose scored one of the finest goals at Hilton Park in recent years, beating two Aldershot players before smashing the ball in to the top corner of the goal from thirty yards out.
However, as the home supporters celebrated what looked to be their second victory in succession, the visitors pulled one back with two minutes remaining on the clock when Jon Challinor fired the ball past RMI goalkeeper Ian Martin from the edge of the penalty area.
Leigh looked very edgy after the goal, and with Aldershot's collective tail up, it was only a matter of time until the Shots would equalise, and they did exactly that in the 94th minute when Aaron McLean, who was lucky to still be on the field after stamping on Michael Byrne in the lead up to the game's opening goal, had a lucky bounce and left him with the simple task of putting the ball past Martin and breaking RMI hearts.
RMI were on the attack within ten seconds of the start of the game, when former Rushden & Diamonds defender Ray Warburton blocked a shot from Chris Simm, before a poor cross from Karl Rose went out of play, while Alex Meechan also had a shot blocked ten minutes later, followed by Warburton again getting in the way of the ball, this time when Michael Byrne attempted a way through to goal.
Leigh's reward for their enthusiastic start was a goal on the half hour mark when former Bolton Wanderers and Aberdeen striker Michael Byrne, on loan from Stockport County, scored his first goal in RMI colours, heading home Ian Fitzpatrick's cross after Welshman Byrne was stamped on by Shots' Aaron McLean on the right hand touchline.
Leigh continued to try and find a way through in what was becoming a particularly fiery encounter, culminating in an off-the-ball sending off of Aldershot's Steve Watson, officially for "foul and abusive language", but he allegedly spat at an RMI man, which was spotted by the linesman.
The visitors equalised fifteen minutes after the restart when Chris Giles slotting home Darren Barnard's cross, but the Shots were behind again almost immediately, when Byrne's header smacked against the woodwork, only for the ball to end up in the back of the net after bouncing off the unwitting Phil Warner on the rebound.
Leigh had looked to have sealed the victory with less than nine minutes remaining when former Scarborough striker Karl Rose scored one of the finest goals at Hilton Park in recent years, beating two Aldershot players before smashing the ball in to the top corner of the goal from thirty yards out.
However, as the home supporters celebrated what looked to be their second victory in succession, the visitors pulled one back with two minutes remaining on the clock when Jon Challinor fired the ball past RMI goalkeeper Ian Martin from the edge of the penalty area.
Leigh looked very edgy after the goal, and with Aldershot's collective tail up, it was only a matter of time until the Shots would equalise, and they did exactly that in the 94th minute when Aaron McLean, who was lucky to still be on the field after stamping on Michael Byrne in the lead up to the game's opening goal, had a lucky bounce and left him with the simple task of putting the ball past Martin and breaking RMI hearts.
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