Leigh Genesis 1 FC Halifax Town 1
By Matt Lawton
December 5 2009
Genesis maintained their unbeaten home league record, but Garry Flitcroft's side were cruelly denied a deserved three points by Richard Marshall's equaliser deep in to injury time.
With Chris Page still suffering from an injury collected in the deluge that was the 3-1 midweek defeat in the Bamber Bridge rain, recent signing Lee Woodyatt was handed his second debut for the club, more than six years since he first appeared during a loan spell from Chester City. Although Jack Dorney made a welcome return to Flitcroft's sixteen man squad, Jordan Stepien was preferred on the right hand side with Matt Jansen again partnering Chris Thompson in attack.
Thompson was the man who had the first opportunity of the game, firing straight at goalkeeper Jonathan Hedge on six minutes having appeared to be a little surprised to see a Tom Ince shot deflected in to his path and the linesman keep his flag down.
In the absence of the injured Jamie Baguley, Steve Flitcroft was starting his first game in a number of weeks, and he had the next chance of the game on twelve minutes when he dummied a man on the edge of the area to create enough shooting space, only to drag his shot wide of the target.
It was well past the midway point of the first half that Halifax had their first genuine attempt on goal, and even then it came from a set piece as Tom Barker fired a free kick narrowly over the crossbar after Jonathan Smith had been adjudged to foul the commanding figure of James Dean on the very edge of the Leigh penalty area.
Despite that scare, Leigh finished the half the stronger as first Thompson curled a strike inches over the bar after cutting inside on to his left foot, before Dale Whitham had the ball in the net on forty one minutes, albeit via what the referee ruled to be an Ince handball in laying the ball off for the young midfielder.
Halifax were out early for the second half, but there was no sign of a lightning start as Leigh took the lead on fifty three minutes when Jordan Stepien broke down the right hand side, and substitute Jack Dorney flicked Stepien's cross through the legs of a defender and in to the path of Chris Thompson, who clinically swept the ball home. Dorney went close to a second with an early shot from distance that almost caught the goalkeeper unawares, with Hedge forced to hastily tip the ball wide for a corner.
The game sprang in to life midway through the second half when, despite playing an advantage long enough to see forced Kris King to clear a shot off the line, a penalty was awarded to Halifax after James Dean was brought down by a combination of Stephen Drench and Karl Munroe as he raced through on goal. Steve Payne swept home from the spot, only for the penalty to be retaken because of encroachment in to the area, and almost inevitably Payne's second attempt being superbly saved by the legs of Drench.
Leigh thought that they had sealed victory only for the Yorkshire side to steal a point deep in to injury time when, with what was arguably their first clear opportunity from open play of the afternoon, Richard Marshall slotted a left-sided cross past Drench at the near post.
Leigh have a rare free midweek before making the short trip to Radcliffe Borough for a 3pm kick off next Saturday (12th December).
Leigh Genesis; Stephen Drench, Lee Woodyatt (Mark Ross), Kris King, Karl Munroe, Jonathan Smith, Dale Whitham, Jordan Stepien, Steve Flitcroft, Matt Jansen (Jack Dorney), Chris Thompson (Andy Heald), Tom Ince
| LEIGH GENESIS 1 FC HALIFAX TOWN 1 | |
| Date | Saturday 5th December 2009 |
| Venue | Leigh Sports Village Stadium, Leigh |
| Attendance | 618 |
| Half time | Leigh Genesis 0 FC Halifax Town 0 |
| Competition | UniBond League First Division North |
| Scorers | |
| Leigh Genesis | Chris Thompson (53) |
| FC Halifax Town | Richard Marshall (90) |
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Firstly, a little disapointed withthe attendance as was hoping to get into the 1,000 mark but realise that the leeds/huddersfield derby may have prevented more 'fax fans from travelling!
Next i am accused of smoking in the toilet by a steward when i was justing doing the business whilst reading my programme!!! i have never smoked in my life and to prove it i emptied all my pockets to show i didn't have any cigs!! absolute joke and am thinking of complaining to the lsv but is it worth it??
then i'm told to stop swearing by some fax fans when singing "oh Leigh, Oh Leigh oh Leigh Oh leigh" to which i spelt out the song then later a steward tells me to stop swearing just as the fax fans sing w$Łkershire in return to our chant of Lancashire!!!!
Obviously conceeding a last min equaliser was gutting.
Lastly, cause i had a few beers at dinner, i got the wife to drop me off with the intention to get the bus home - and so got soaked to the bone walking along the atherleigh way (no footpath either just long wet soggy grass!!) and then waiting for a bus near the fire station that didn't have a shelter!!!!!
ok moan over - looking forward to next week !!!!!!!!
LG-SA.co.uk
are the lsv interested in me complaining - he was out of order tho!!!!
If you walk away from the LSV down the side of the rugby pitch nearest to the ground and down Etherstone Street, that will bring you out on St Helens Road near the car wash and get the 600 from there.
LG-SA.co.uk
LG-SA.co.uk
Woodyatt was last at Barrow as far as I know, but he had a spell on loan with us a few years ago.
LG-SA.co.uk