A FIRST-HALF goal from Joe Evans was enough to give Leigh their first FA Cup win in nearly five years and overcome Vodkat Premier League side Runcorn Linnets in an entertaining preliminary round tie at Crilly Park on Saturday.

Leigh went into the game, only their second at their new Spa Road home, having suffered consecutive defeats at the start of their Evo-Stik League Division One North campaign, while visitors Runcorn parted company with manager Steve Wilkes earlier in the week despite making an unbeaten start to the Vodkat Premier League season.

Runcorn had the first opening on 15 minutes when Genesis centre back Kieran Molyneux misjudged a long ball forward, allowing Robert Whyte to run through on goal only for the Linnets front man to drag his shot wide of Adam Judge’s goal.

A minute later Leigh had their first attempt at goal when John Lawless created space for a shot that was tipped away for a corner by Runcorn goalkeeper Phil Priestley, before Priestley did well to keep hold of a Nick Eastham half volley from the edge of the area on 17 minutes.

Danny Lyons came on at right back, with Scott Sephton moving inside to play at centre back alongside James Bell.

Genesis were unlucky not to take the lead on 23 minutes when Mark King’s corner was dropped by Priestley at the feet of Lawless, who did well to react but only managed to hook his shot against Priestley’s left-hand post.

Nick Eastham thought he had scored on 25 minutes when his header beat Priestley, only for the retreating Matthew Ashcroft to hack the ball off the line.

Eastham had another chance four minutes later when he latched on to a precise Adam Strode through ball, only to drag his shot across the face of goal.

Judge was called upon to make a smart save from Whyte, but Genesis finally got the goal that they deserved on 37 minutes.

A cross from the left found Lawless, who laid the ball off for Paul Hopkins to fire a shot towards goal that was blocked but only as far as Joe Evans, who made no mistake in blasting home his first Leigh goal.

As the game entered its final stages, Judge suddenly found himself the centre of attention as Runcorn started to exert pressure on his goal in search of an equaliser, palming the ball wide from an ambitious free kick from a distance on eighty-four minutes before being called upon to make a fantastic low save from Whyte with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

The victory means Leigh have the chance to renew acquaintances with Vodkat Premier League side Rossendale United, who were relegated from Leigh’s league last season but came up with an impressive 5-2 victory over Cammell Laird to qualify for the first qualifying round in a tie that is to be played on Saturday, September 11, at Rossendale‘s Dark Lane home.

Leigh Genesis: Adam Judge, Scott Sephton, Mark King, James Bell, Kieran Molyneux (Danny Lyons 20), Andy Heald, Paul Hopkins (Chris Dykes 80), Joe Evans, John Lawless (Rick Gleave 66), Nick Eastham, Adam Strode. Subs (not used): Paul Williams, Denis Barlow, Mick Vernon, Simon Pendlebury.