By Matt Lawton
March 8 2011

A freak Prescot Cables equaliser with a little over fifteen minutes remaining at Crilly Park saw Leigh Genesis denied all three points in a vital Evo-Stik League First Division North encounter, having to settle for their third successive draw instead.

Genesis boss Alan Kershaw made just one enforced change from Saturday's 0-0 draw with Cammell Laird with Marvin McDonald missing through injury and replaced by young namesake Dale as Leigh began a run of five consecutive home games.

It was the visitors who made the brighter start when first Lee Madin fired over the crossbar when afforded a clear view of goal after just four minutes before Genesis goalkeeper Phil Priestley came up with a terrific one handed save low down at his right hand post to keep out a Ben Parsonage strike on eleven minutes.

Leigh's best opening of the half came on fifteen minutes when Steve Smith played in Stuart Rudd but the Leigh front man dragged his shot across goal and narrowly wide of the target as he continues his search for a 400th senior goal, with Leigh forced in to a change nine minutes later with Scott Sephton withdrawn for Adam Parkhouse in a tight first half.

Veteran goalkeeper Priestley again showed his quality after ten minutes of the second half when Madin played Jake Ellis clean through on goal but was denied a breakaway goal by Priestley's reactions as he blocked the ball was his left foot.

Leigh striker John Hedges thought he'd created a great chance for himself after sixty five minutes when he cheekily nicked the ball from Prescot defender Tony Rendell and hared inside the area, only to be denied by a terrific recovery from ex-Leigh man Rendell as he made a timely challenge inside the penalty area just as Hedges was about to take aim at goal.

It took only a further two minutes for Leigh to take the lead when Adam Parkhouse broke down the left hand side and delivered a cross in to the penalty area that was cleared only as far as Connor Millington and the Leigh midfielder made no mistake in drilling home his second goal for the club in to Michael Langley's right hand corner from twenty five yards out.

James Kelly was introduced for Steve Smith two minutes later in a particularly attack-minded change as Leigh looked to secure all three points, but they were instead pegged back in bizarre circumstances on seventy four minutes. A seemingly innocuous Kelly pass was inadvertently intercepted by the backside of referee Billy Smallwood and the ball dropped at the feet of Cables midfielder Joe Gibiliru who showed terrific vision and execution to lift the ball over a stranded Priestley with a first time shot from forty yards out to level the scores.

The referee added further frustration for Leigh when he refused to award a penalty to the home side when Stuart Rudd appeared to be bundled over in the area late on, but it just shows that lady luck doesn't tend to shine on sides near the foot of the table, with Leigh's point at least lifting them from bottom spot after Ossett Albion's defeat at Radcliffe Borough.

Leigh's next fixture is this Saturday when fellow strugglers Harrogate Railway Athletic are the visitors to Crilly Park for a 3pm kick off before another home fixture the following Tuesday against Woodley Sports (7.45pm kick off).

Leigh Genesis; Phil Priestley, Rob Flint, Scott Sephton (Adam Parkhouse 24), Steve Ferrigan, Alex Grisedale, Dave Dempsey, Steve Smith (James Kelly 69), Connor Millington, Stuart Rudd, John Hedges, Dale McDonald (Neil Smith 61). Subs (not used); Ali Asgari, Andrew Farrimond