Leigh RMI v. Worksop Town preview

By Matt Lawton
November 2 2005

RMI face their second FA Cup rematch in a week when Worksop Town are the first side this season to sample RMI's Friday night football experiment.

After last weekend's visit to Moor Green, conquerors of RMI in the 2002/2003 FA Cup, Worksop return to the scene where they chalked up a shock 4-1 victory in the 2001/2002 FA Cup against Steve Waywell's side, only a matter of days before they lost 3-0 at Hull City in the LDV Vans Trophy.

Since that disappointing few days, RMI have gone down, Hull have risen to the second tier of English football and Worksop have, well, stayed right where they are (accounting for the re-organisation of the football pyramid that saw the introduction of the Conference North division).

Whilst RMI lost 4-1 at Moor Green, Worksop needed a late goal to draw 3-3 with Hednesford after previously leading 2-1 with less than fifteen minutes remaining, leaving Worksop just a point ahead of an RMI side bereft of any confidence after a shocking run of results.

After a series of particularly disappointing attendances at Hilton Park this year, RMI are attempting to bring in the crowds with a switch to Friday night games, which as a result avoids a clash with Bonfire Night (and the annual display at Hilton Park!) not to mention the usual local football programme and the Great Britain vs. Australia Tri-Nations encounter that is being played down the road (on the wrong side of Abram) at Wigan's JJB Stadium.

It's the first time since a period in the Unibond League in the late 1990's that RMI have deliberately tried to entice the crowds back to Hilton Park with a Friday night fixture, or at least the first time since an England game on a Saturday may have forced a change. Let's hope that the idea proves to be a success for the club and is enough to provide the lads with enough inspiration to claim the three points, and as a result may well tempt any extra fans to return on a Saturday in the future!

Come on Leythers!