Leigh Genesis 1 Prescot Cables 1

A FREAK Prescot Cables equaliser with 16 minutes remaining saw Leigh Genesis denied all three points in an Evo-Stik League First Division North encounter.

The visitors made the brighter start when Lee Madin fired over the crossbar when afforded a clear view of goal after four minutes before Genesis goalkeeper Phil Priestley came up with a terrific one handed save low down at his right hand post to keep out a Ben Parsonage strike.

Leigh’s best opening of the half came on 15 minutes when Steve Smith played in Stuart Rudd but the Leigh front man dragged his shot across goal and narrowly wide.

Veteran goalkeeper Priestley again showed his quality after 10 minutes of the second half when Madin played Jake Ellis clean through on goal but was denied a breakaway goal by Priestley’s reactions as he blocked the ball with his left foot.

Leigh striker John Hedges nicked the ball from Prescot defender Tony Rendell and hared inside the area, only to be denied by a terrific recovery from ex-Leigh man Rendell.

It took only a further two minutes for Leigh to take the lead when Adam Parkhouse broke down the left hand side and delivered a cross into the penalty area that was cleared only as far as Connor Millington and the Leigh midfielder made no mistake in drilling home his second goal for the club from 25 yards out.

James Kelly was introduced for Steve Smith two minutes later in a particularly attack-minded change as Leigh looked to secure all three points, but they were instead pegged back in bizarre circumstances on 74 minutes.

A seemingly innocuous Kelly pass was inadvertently intercepted by the backside of referee Billy Smallwood and the ball dropped at the feet of Cables midfielder Joe Gibiliru. He showed terrific vision and execution to lift the ball over a stranded Priestley with a first-time shot from 40 yards out to level the scores.

The referee added further frustration for Leigh when he refused to award a penalty to the home side when Rudd appeared to be bundled over in the area late on. Leigh’s point at least lifts them from bottom spot after Ossett Albion’s defeat at Radcliffe Borough.

Fellow strugglers Harrogate Railway Athletic are the visitors to Crilly Park on Saturday, kick off 3pm, before another home fixture on Tuesday against Woodley Sports, kick off 7.45pm.