Harrogate Railway Athletic vs. Leigh Genesis preview

Leigh Genesis make the long trip to North Yorkshire tomorrow (Tuesday) evening with boss Mark Maddox and his squad not only under pressure to turn around a poor run of recent results, but also reverse a dreadful disciplinary record, with neither cause helped by Saturday’s 5-0 FA Trophy defeat to Garforth Town that saw three Genesis players given their marching orders.

Maddox's last Leigh visit to Harrogate Railway Athletic came when he was still a player for the club when they suffered a disastrous 4-1 FA Cup defeat in September 2007 when still playing in the Blue Square North, and the Leigh boss is looking for his side to get back on track and dispell memories of that painful afternoon at Station View.

"The Harrogate away game is now a match that we must take something from, if anything to just stop our bad run of results."

Leigh have just one league win to their name so far this season, a 1-0 home win over Garforth Town last month, though hosts Railway have had a similarly poor start with just one win in nine attempts, a thumping 6-2 August win away to Garforth, leaving the Yorkshiremen just two points ahead of Genesis at the foot of the Evo-Stik League Division One North table.

Meanwhile, Maddox recognises that Leigh's current record of having eight players sent off already this season, despite only just entering October, is something that cannot be allowed to continue.

"Discipline wise, I am going to be laying in to them tomorrow because it's an absolute joke at the minute. Our poor discipline is costing us games and we can't afford any more red cards or ill-discpline."

Maddox's selection options are boosted with the return from suspension of player/coach Andy Heald, while experienced former Marine defender Adam Farley is in line to make his debut after Genesis beat Evo-Stik Premier League side Burscough to his signature.

The aforementioned FA Cup defeat in 2007 certainly isn't Leigh's only loss at Station View, with last season's league visit ending in a shock 2-1 defeat that was notable for the sending off of Matt Jansen, though an FA Trophy First Qualifying Round visit in October 2008 saw Leigh run out 1-0 victors thanks to a Jordan Stepien strike.

To reach the ground, exit the A1(M) at junction 47 and take the first exit at the roundabout (signposted A59 towards Knaresborough and Harrogate). At the next roundabout take the third exit (A59 Knaresborough). Stay on the A59 through Knaresborough and on towards Harrogate. After approximately one mile from Knaresborough you will enter Starbeck. Proceed through Starbeck over the railway crossing and take the first right in to Station View, with the Ground at the far end of Station View.

Kick off at Station View is at 7.45pm, with admission costing £6 for adults and £3 for concessions.

Can't make the game? Follow live updates at twitter.com/leighgenesisfc