Leigh Genesis 0 Wakefield 1

GENESIS suffered a costly loss at the hands of fellow league strugglers Wakefield as they stay cemented to the bottom of the Evo-Stik First Division North, writes Matt Lawton.

With seven points from 20 games, Leigh’s next outing is another essential War of the Roses battle, as they travel across the Pennines to take on Leeds-based Garforth Town on Saturday, 3pm kick off, before welcoming Witton Albion to Crilly Park the following Tuesday, January 11, 7.45pm kick off.

In Leigh’s first home game for a month thanks to the icy conditions, it was the visitors who made the breakthrough on 13 minutes, when Genesis keeper Adam Judge could only palm a corner away as far as Patrick McGuire on the edge of the box and he fired his shot back into the net.

Controversy followed three minutes later when Wakefield front man Danny South appeared to be fortunate to get away with only a yellow card after launching in to a two-footed lunge at Dale McDonald, who also found his way in to the referee’s notebook for his reaction to the foul.

Leigh had the first chance of the second half when Zolna made a smart save to prevent lively home debutant Ali Asgari, as Leigh mounted more and more pressure on the Wakefield goal.

The visitors were effectively playing 10 men behind the ball to keep hold of their lead and not even the introduction of Davison Banda and David Webb could make the difference, despite Banda being refused a penalty in the final moments of the game.

Leigh Genesis: Adam Judge, Dale McDonald (David Webb 81), James Kelly, Steve Brockley, Alex Grisedale, Bernard Williams, Sam Fairhurst, Rowan Garnett, Ali Asgari (Davison Banda 79), James Carey, Steve Ferrigan. Subs not used: Jack Burke, Chris Dykes, Phil Priestley.

AFC Fylde ... 4 Leigh Genesis 0 LEIGH were always going to find this game difficult after three weeks without competitive football and they struggled to assert themselves into the game.

The visitors, who included a debutant in the shape of Ali Asgari, found it difficult to get into the game but were looking likely to head into the break on level pegging until 42 minutes in, when Tom Cahill slotted past Genesis goalkeeper Adam Judge.

The hosts doubled that lead moments later, when Kevin Townson floated the ball home.

Fylde have invested heavily in their playing squad in recent months and that was evident in the second half as Michael Barnes celebrated his new contract with the home side’s third goal on 72 minutes.

Substitute Matt Walwyn completed the scoring, driving home a nice strike from 25 metres with 11 minutes left on the clock.

Leigh Genesis: Adam Judge, Dale McDonald, Steve Brockley (James Carey 74), Steve Ferrigan, Alex Grisedale, Rowan Garnett, Davison Banda (James Kelly 54), Sam Fairhurst, Jack Burke (David Webb 86), Andy Heald, Ali Asgari.