Although Saturday's drab 1-0 home defeat to Worcester City was the perfect example of a 'dead rubber' end-of-season game, the short trip to the Lancashire coast represented RMI's game in hand on second bottom Vauxhall Motors, with even a point likely to give a huge confidence boost to Steve Bleasdale's side as they look to take their battle to avoid finishing bottom of the league to the final day.

Bleasdale's selection options were boosted with the news that Richard Chetcuti's injury was not as bad as first feared, allowing him to start up front alongside James Dunn, while midfielder David Prout made his full debut, ironically against his former side.

Hosts Southport knew that a victory would put them back in pole position in the race to claim a play-off spot, and they started in determined mood as ex-RMI players Neil Prince and Neil Robinson combined to create the first chance of the game, the latter flashing the ball over Tim Dittmer's crossbar after Mark Duffy had flicked on Prince's left wing cross.

After that warning shot, Southport took the lead on just thirteen minutes when another ex-Leigh player, midfielder Liam Blakeman, received the ball thirty yards from goal and manage to adjust himself in to a shooting position, firing an unstoppable shot through a crowd of players and in to Dittmer's net for a particularly impressive strike.

Robinson almost made up for his earlier miss when he crashed a Duffy cross against Dittmer's left hand post, before Blakeman's strike was overshadowed by a spectacular Tony Gray overhead kick, timing his strike perfectly in meeting Brad Maylett's sliced clearance in mid-air to give the hosts a two goal advantage after less than half an hour of action.

As the hosts began to take their foot off the pedal somewhat with a comfortable lead, Leigh began to grow in confidence as the first half wore on, first skipper Rob Marsh-Evans unlucky to have a header cleared off the line before Prout was twice denied by desperate blocks in the penalty area, having previously fired over the crossbar when well-positioned in front of goal.

With Dunn and Chetcuti both withdrawn from the action within four minutes of the restart, Mark Smyth and cult figure Gavin Salmon formed the second half striking partnership, with the former firing an excellent free kick that was expertly tipped over by Southport goalkeeper Richard Whiteside, virtually his first serious save of the match, before former Liverpool striker Smyth had a goal-bound shot deflected agonisingly wide of the target.

With RMI finally exerting a degree of pressure on their hosts, Southport quickly managed to mount a counter attack, Michael Powell quickly releasing Gray, who's shot was excellent tipped away by the stretching Dittmer, minutes before Dittmer again denied Gray, tipping his shot on the Leigh goalkeeper's right hand post.

Prout's debut ended after seventy minutes when he was withdrawn for Neil Carroll, but the chance did little to alter the complexion of the match as Leigh continued their winless run away from home to twenty matches, their only win on the road coming in their first away trip of the season when Kevin Rapley and Dan Owen were the scorers in a 2-1 August victory at Barrow.

RMI's season now comes to an end on Saturday afternoon when Blyth Spartans are the final visitors to Hilton Park for a 3pm kick off, admission costing a reduced £7 for adults, £4 for OAP's and students and just £1 for under 16's.

Leigh RMI; Tim Dittmer, Scott Metcalfe, Andy Wright, David Prout (Neil Carroll), Matt Lawlor, Rob Marsh-Evans, Brad Maylett, Jonathan Goulding, James Dunn (Gavin Salmon), Richard Chetcuti (Mark Smyth), Robin Gibson

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