Leigh Genesis to meet Clitheroe in semi finals after comeback win (From Leigh Journal)

Leigh Genesis to meet Clitheroe in semi finals after comeback win

1:49pm Thursday 21st January 2010 in

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AFTER coming from a goal behind to run out 3-1 victors away to Colne in their Lancashire FA Co-Operative Challenge Trophy quarter final on Tuesday, Leigh Genesis will face league rivals Clitheroe in the semi finals.

Leigh and Clitheroe have already met once in the league this season when two late goals saw Genesis controversially claim a 2-1 victory at Shawbridge.

The semi final will be played at the County Ground in Leyland, headquarters of the Lancashire FA, in February.

Three second-half goals saw Genesis overcome dogged North West Counties Premier League hosts Colne.

Playing in their first game in a full calendar month, Leigh started rather sluggishly.

The defence were caught out by a long ball from the goalkeeper that allowed a Colne front man to hare through on goal, only to be denied by a brave Stephen Drench block.

Drench had to be at his best soon afterwards to come up with a terrific save on his left hand post to keep out a curling effort from the edge of the area.

There was little Drench could do, however, when Colne deservedly took the lead shortly before the break as Billy Priestley thumped home a header from a free kick on the left hand side of the penalty area.

After a somewhat disjointed first half, an undoubted half-time grilling from Genesis boss Garry Flitcroft appeared to do the trick for the visitors as they quickly found themselves back on level terms.

Jordan Stepien smashed home his 13th goal of the season from the penalty spot after Jack Dorney was bundled over when cutting inside a defender.

With their tails up, Leigh set about taking the lead and were a whisker away from doing so when Jamie Baguley smartly laid the ball off for Dale Whitham to attempt to place his strike in the top corner of the net, only to be denied by a fantastic save.

The visitors did not have to wait long to take the lead, doing so in hugely impressive fashion as Baguley lined up a free kick from the right hand side of the penalty area and sent his screamer of a shot arrowing into the top right hand corner.

With Leigh's confidence ever-increasing, victory was sealed soon afterwards with another well-worked goal as Stepien cleverly dummied a well-timed through ball from substitute Chris Thompson to allow Tom Ince to ghost in behind the defence and slot the ball past the goalkeeper for his side’s third goal.

Leigh had a late scare when a Colne man hared through on goal and appeared to be brought down by Drench, only for the referee and his assistants to agree with Drench's claims that no contact had been made, while Richard Ratcliffe made his Leigh debut as a late substitute.

Leigh play their first league encounter in over a month when they travel over the Pennines to basement side Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday, 3pm kick off, before the short trip to neighbours Warrington Town for a rearranged league fixture on Tuesday, kick off 7.45pm).

Leigh Genesis: Stephen Drench, Lee Woodyatt, Kris King, Chris Page, Jonathan Smith, Andy Heald, Jack Dorney (Chris Thompson), Dale Whitham, Jordan Stepien (Richard Ratcliffe), Jamie Baguley, Tom Ince (Chris Dykes).