By Matt Lawton
December 31 2003

Table toppping side Chester City make the short trip to Hilton Park on New Years Day, and RMI will be desperate to catch the Seals on a hangover, following RMI's humiliating 5-0 defeat at the Deva Stadium when the sides met last week. RMI will be desperate to recover their form and regain a bit of pride following the 5-0 defeat on the Welsh border, with the Railwaymen plunged deeper further in to relegation trouble, with Leigh now second bottom of the Conference.

Despite the embarrassing Boxing Day thrashing, RMI will look at their previous form against the so-called Conference "big clubs" and be a bit confident about picking up at least a point on New Years Day. Chester's main challengers for automatic promotion, Hereford United, can tell their rivals all about the threat that RMI pose, with Leigh the only side to be victorious at the Bulls' Edgar Street home this season, when Carl Barrowclough scored a late winner in November.

Another of Chester's promotion challengers, Shrewsbury Town, can warn of the threat that RMI pose at Hilton Park after they struggled to a 2-2 draw following a superb performance between the sides in front of RMI's biggest crowd of the season.

RMI boss Phil Starbuck has a goalkeeping crisis on his hands after former Republic of Ireland and Oldham Athletic goalkeeper Gary Kelly broke a finger in the 5-0 defeat on Boxing Day, which will see Ian Martin deputise in goal. Starbuck will again be without striker Ian Fitzpatrick, with the loan star suffering from an ankle ligament injury, while centre back Neil Durkin is struggling with a groin injury and Durkin's fellow defender Gerry Harrison is doubtful because of a virus.

The hosts will again be without first choice goalkeeper Wayne Brown, who is suffering from a foot injury, and he is set to be replaced by Ian McCaldon.

Although RMI fell to an embarrasingly easy 4-0 home defeat to the Seals in the corresponding fixture last season, RMI will cast their mind back a couple of years ago when they romped to a fantastic 3-0 home victory over tomorrow's opponents. One of RMI's star performers that day, former Manchester United and Port Vale striker Michael Twiss, who made his debut in that game, is set to line up for Chester tomorrow afternoon, although it is expected he will only be on the bench because of the superb goalscoring form of Daryl Clare and Darryn Stamp.

How RMI could do with their old favourite back in their side.