Southport v Leigh RMI preview by Martyn Hindley

STEVE Waywell will tonight return to the scene of Leigh RMI's greatest humiliation, claiming that the experience was not as calamitous as it sounds.

RMI were made odds-on favourites for the drop last January after being hammered 5-0 by ten man Southport at Haig Avenue but it provided the catalyst for a successful survival campaign which the boss says was a blessing in disguise.

"It was a kick-start for me and it was a kick-start to the players", said Waywell, whose side trailed by just one goal at the moment of Neil Grayston's first half red card. "We went on a tremendous run after that poor performance but at the moment we still have something of a score to settle."

Leigh will be without Dominic Ludden (strained hamstring) with Paul Williams deputising although Phil Salt should be fit while Neil Fitzhenry serves the second of a three-match ban.

RMI's three points over Margate might have been comfortable in the final shake-up but the performance will have to improve if they are to take points from two difficult road trips this week.

Southport have made an unbeaten start to the season, and their recovery from a goal behind to beat Gravesend and Northfleet at the weekend would have sent a wave of surprise around the league.

And the RMI defensive trio of Neil Durkin, Gerry Harrison and Wayne Maden will have to hold firmer than in the first four games if they are to emerge unscathed tonight. The ten goals conceded in the first nine days of the campaign meant panic stations were never far away before the weekend's clean sheet, but in reality Southport are likely to present more of an attacking threat.

RMI fans will be remembering this corresponding fixture two years ago when a typical RMI smash and grab earned the club their first ever Conference victory, Tony Black and Peter Cumiskey both scoring penalties in a 2-1 win.