Prescot Cables 4 Leigh Genesis 0

LEIGH Genesis’ three-match unbeaten run came crashing to a halt with a dismal defeat at Prescot Cables amid the rain and mud of Valerie Park on Tuesday, writes Matt Lawton.

With Nathan McDonald serving a one-match suspension, captain for the night Stuart Rudd was deployed as a lone striker on his second appearance for the club.

The former FC United of Manchester front man was left largely isolated, lacking support from midfield whenever Leigh pushed forward.

On a heavy pitch that tested both sides, Leigh failed to match their hosts in coping with the conditions and were thankful in the opening minutes that goalkeeper Phil Priestley managed to keep out a shot from point-blank range that his defenders eventually managed to scramble away from the rebound.

Leigh had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 18 minutes when they broke clear with three attackers taking on a single Prescot defender, only for Craig Carney to fire straight at Cable’s goalkeeper Michael Langley when teammate Marvin McDonald was perfectly placed to receive a square ball and more likely to get a better view of goal.

The hosts took the lead in fortuitous circumstances in the 26th minute when Jason Massie received the ball from a short corner kick and aimed a cross into the box, only for it to skew off his foot and fly into the top corner.

It took Prescot just two minutes of the second half to extend their lead when Massie was left unmarked at the back post to tap home a simple finish.

Four minutes later Priestley failed to hold on to a cross in to his area with the ball falling kindly for Lee Madin to loop a header into the net for 3-0.

The rout was completed with eight minutes remaining when the Genesis defence were completely caught out by a long ball to leave Madin free to pick his spot and curl his second goal of the evening past Priestley.