By Matt Lawton
July 31 2003

Leigh RMI grabbed a goal-less draw in a dour game against a Blackburn side made up of youngsters and fringe players, along with first teamers in the shape of Alan Mahon, Martin Taylor and Italian striker Corrado Grabbi. Both sides had one or two chances and RMI went closest when substitute Ged Courtney rounded the Rovers goalkeeper only for his goal-bound shot to be cleared off the line and diverted for a corner.

This was virtually the only highlight of a dour game which took the form of a typical pre-season friendly, with very few "meaty challenges" and little goal-mouth action.

Neither side created many chances and although Rovers' Italian striker Corrado Grabbi, who moved to Ewood Park at the start of last season for a whopping £8million, went close on a couple of occassions, though he didn't force RMI goalkeeper Ian Martin into any decent saves. Grabbi was substituted in the second half after a disappointingly ineffective performance and he went straight down the tunnel, once again fuelling speculation that Grabbi is unhappy at Ewood Park.

RMI only created a couple of chances, though they did go close on a couple of occasions through Marcus Hallows headers, along with the aforementioned chance for Ged Courtney.

Rovers had a substitute who had only just entered "sent off" in the second half for a late challenge on RMI winger Ian Monk, though the Rovers man was allowed back on the field are a period to cool down.

All in all, it was a solid performance from RMI, but nothing spectacular, against what was quite a strong Blackburn side. The signs in defence are encouraging but once again the Hilton Park faithful will be a little worried about RMI's chronic lack of firepower up front, which has been a problem since the departure of Northern Ireland man Steve Jones, who departed RMI for a place in the first team squad of now First Division outfit Crewe Alexandra two years ago. However, Neil Robinson, who impressed hugely in the friendlies against both Bury and Everton, was missing from this evening's RMI side so that should calm the fears a little.

This was RMI's final home friendly of their pre-season campaign, which will be completed on Saturday afternoon when they face old Lancashire adversaries Rossendale United prior to the start of the Conference campaign a week later, with last season's play-off finalists Dagenham & Redbridge making the trip to Hilton Park on the opening day.