Leigh Genesis 0 Lancaster City 0

A RESOLUTE performance from Leigh Genesis saw Alan Kershaw's side earn a vital point with a goalless draw against tenth-placed Lancaster.

However, the home side might have been celebrating collecting all three points had things gone their way.

Remarkably, the final result was Leigh’s first 0-0 draw all season and indeed their first in just short of a year. The clean sheet is particularly impressive given that Lancaster won 6-0 when the sides last met.

Kershaw made two changes from the side that lost 4-0 to high-flying Skelmersdale United at the weekend, with Andy Heald and Simon Pendlebury missing from the starting line-up but youth product Scott Sephton and midfielder Steve Smith being restored to the 11 after both featured in the 2-0 win at Mossley a week earlier.

In a well-fought first half that was short on goalmouth action, Leigh had marginally the better of the play but had only half chances to show for their efforts at the break.

Stuart Rudd had headed a Dave Dempsey free kick straight at goalkeeper Martin Fearon and Steve Smith had disappointingly fired straight at Fearon from the edge of the box when afforded the time and space to have a clear view of goal.

The second half started in much brighter fashion and the visitors came a coat of paint away from taking the lead after 48 minutes when front man Michael Hall saw his shot deflected on to Phil Priestley’s crossbar.

In somewhat of a glut of goalmouth action, Lancaster immediately charged upfield with Mike Rushton forcing a great low save from Priestley that landed at the feet of Hall who fired over.

The visitors made a double substitution shortly after the half hour mark but it was Leigh doing most of the running and Fearon had to be at his best to superbly tip a rasping Millington strike over the crossbar from outside of the area.

The golden chance came on 81 minutes when youngster Craig Carney managed to break free of a challenge in the area and create enough space to release a shot that beat Fearon and was heading for the back of the net, only to be desperately hacked off the line by the alert Neil Marshall as he retreated behind his goalkeeper.

With basement side Ossett Albion suffering a 5-0 thumping at Bamber Bridge, Leigh are two points off bottom spot with a game in hand.

They have a trip to Wirral on Saturday to take on Cammell Laird, kick off 3pm, before fellow strugglers Prescot Cables are the visitors to Crilly Park the following Tuesday, kick off 7.45pm.

Leigh Genesis: Phil Priestley, Rob Flint, Scott Sephton, Steve Ferrigan, Alex Grisedale, Dave Dempsey, Craig Carney, Connor Millington, Stuart Rudd, Steve Smith, Marvin McDonald (Dale McDonald 88). Subs not used: Jack Smith, Simon Pendlebury, Adam Parkhouse.