Hucknall Town vs. Leigh RMI preview

By Matt Lawton
March 1 2007

As the season’s conclusion draws nearer by the week, the intensity of the Conference North relegation battle follows suit, with RMI looking to do complete a league ‘double’ over Hucknall when they visit Nottinghamshire on Saturday afternoon.

The preparations of RMI boss Stuart Humphreys have been hampered with the news that goalscoring midfielder Hugh McAuley is likely to miss the rest of the season because of an operation on his troublesome hernia injury.

With Humphreys unlikely to complete any potential signings ahead of Saturday’s visit to Watnall Road, Steve Porter is again set to be partnered in the centre of midfield by Gavin Lee-Ellison, an impressive understudy in the RMI engine room in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Worcester City.

Although RMI find themselves just one place and three points of the relegation zone, they have two games in hand on rivals Scarborough and will be looking for a second successive victory against a Hucknall side that surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 at home to Hinckley last Saturday, though remain just six points short of a play-off position in eleventh spot.

As has been illustrated by how far Gainsborough Trinity have moved up the table with their 1-0 win at Nuneaton Borough on Tuesday night, RMI will be eager to claw themselves further away from the drop zone, especially when the massive Barrow-Scarborough game is taken in to consideration, where a goal less draw is surely the best possible result from an RMI point of view, keeping Barrow within distance whilst ensuring that Scarborough don’t claw back too much ground.

With two months of the season still remaining, every goal is becoming more and more vital with plenty more twists and turns set to come along the way.

The ground can be reached via the M1 (junction 27) while there are regular train services between Nottingham and Hucknall for those travelling by rail