Radcliffe Borough 3 Leigh Genesis 2

An extraordinary comeback from hosts Radcliffe Borough saw them score three goals in the final nine minutes, two of them in injury time, to break Leigh's hearts and secure a remarkable comeback at Stainton Park.

After suffering a midweek 4-0 defeat at local rivals Prescot Cables, Genesis boss Alan Kershaw made several changes to his side, with Dave Dempsey replacing Scott Sephton at left back, Steve Smith making his first start to returning to the club and player/coach Andy Heald available again in midfield.

In a scrappy opening period, it took half an hour for the first genuine attempt on goal when Leigh front man Stuart Rudd headed a Rob Flint cross narrowly wide of the target.

Leigh went close again on thirty five minutes when Sam Fairhurst played the ball in to Rudd's feet, who did well to set the ball up for himself with his back to goal and hit the ball on the half-volley as he turned towards goal to bring a smart save from former Manchester United goalkeeper Nick Culkin, with the hosts going close a minute later when Ben Manning saw his shot deflect on to the top of Phil Priestley's crossbar from an Alastair Brown cross.

The stroke of half-time saw Leigh come within a whisker of going in front when Flint played in Andy Heald who scored some terrific footwork on the age of the area to create an opening for himself, only to stab the ball wide of the target with his weaker right foot and leave the game goalless at the break.

The second half saw the hosts start marginally brighter than Leigh, but it was the visitors who went in front on sixty one minutes when Connor Millington released Stuart Rudd down the right hand side to cross for Marvin McDonald to scramble the ball home just inside the far post.

That lead was doubled eleven minutes later when former Leigh left back Kris King, on as a substitute for Radcliffe, brought Rudd down inches outside of the Borough penalty area as he looked to put the ball in to the box. The resultant free kick saw Sam Fairhurst roll the ball to Andy Heald who drilled the ball in to the roof of the net from an acute angle against his former club and seemingly seal three much- needed points for Leigh.

Adam Parkhouse and Craig Carney were introduced to a tiring Leigh side to replace Dave Dempsey and Steve Smith on eighty minutes, but the hosts pulled a goal back from virtually nothing a minute later when Dave Sherlock crossed to the back post and left Rob Flint in a vulnerable enough position to put the ball in to the back of his own net at the far post.

With their tails up, Radcliffe attacked relentlessly but looked to have been denied a share of the spoils as the clock ticked over to ninety minutes when Priestley did superbly to flick away a Sherlock strike with his right boot. However, the drama wasn't over as the hosts continued the pressure and seconds later when on level terms when Alastair Brown was left unmarked to head in at the far post after a minute of stoppage time.

Having previously been in a position of complete domination, Leigh's collapse was completed two minutes in to stoppage time when another ball in to Leigh's penalty area saw Craig Flowers left unmarked to send a free header in to Priestley's net and secure an incredible victory for the home side.

Leigh have three days to pick themselves up from the disappointment of such a late defeat when they travel to Mossley on Tuesday evening (22nd February, 7.45pm kick off) before welcoming Skelmersdale United to Crilly Park the following Saturday (26th February) in a 3pm kick off.

Leigh Genesis; Phil Priestley, Rob Flint, Dave Dempsey (Adam Parkhouse 80), Steve Ferrigan, Alex Grisedale, Andy Heald, Steve Smith (Craig Carney 80), Connor Millington, Stuart Rudd, Sam Fairhurst, Marvin McDonald (John Hedges 88). Subs (not used); Jack Smith, David Webb