By Matt Lawton
October 16 2008

Leigh Genesis have an immediate chance to set aside the disappointment of Tuesday's 2-1 UniBond Premier League defeat to Cammell Laird when their attentions turn to a trip to Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday afternoon in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy.

Despite hosts Cammell Laird playing with ten men for almost an hour of Tuesday's fixture, Leigh's misery was matched only by the weather as Genesis surrendered a one goal lead in torrential conditions on the Wirral.

With that defeat leaving the Leythers in tenth place in the UniBond Premier League, attentions are now turned to the potential of a lucrative FA Trophy run, with hosts Harrogate Railway Athletic second bottom of the UniBond League First Division North, having collected just two points from a possible thirty six with two draws in their opening twelve days.

Although Harrogate were the victors when the sides last met, a 4-1 victory at Station View in an FA Cup competition that saw Railway reach the First Round and entertain Mansfield Town in front of the nation, the Yorkshire side has hardly matched last season's cup exploits, with their interest in the President's Cup ended on Tuesday evening with a 5-1 crushing at Wakefield, while their FA Cup run ended with defeat to Dunston Federation.

With only long-term absentee Matt Berkeley on the Genesis treatment table and a large Leigh support expected to travel over the Pennines, hopes will be high that Steve Bleasdale's side can march through to the next round, collecting nearly £3,000 in prize money along the route.

• A very limited number of coach spaces are still available with the Leigh Genesis Supporters Association for Saturday's fixture, with travel costing no more than £13 each, leaving Leigh at 11:30am. If you are interested in travelling with the Supporters Association, contact them urgently via info@lg-sa.co.uk