FULHAM 1

LEIGH RMI 1 CLOWN prince Dave Felgate was last night crowned the King of London. RMI's heavyweight joker in the pack produced the game of his life as Leigh's part-time collection of postmen and electricians fought a magnificent rearguard action to shut out Kevin Keegan's megabucks team and force a Hilton Park replay.

Keeper Felgate, a veteran of over 700 professional games, admitted he'd never played better as he threw up a one-man wall to deny the Division Two championship contenders,

And how the fans loved him. Felgate and the rest of RMI's heroes were cheered to the rafters by their travelling army of fans and even the Fulham fans, stunned into silence by Felgate's heroics, gave the Railwaymen a standing ovation at the end.

But while Felgate was quick to play down his role in RMI's greatest day, Fulham boss Keegan described the keeper's display as: ' The best I've ever seen at any level.'

The former Wanderers, Lincoln and Grimsby keeper was simply unbeatable, hurling his 16 stone frame in the way of everything Fulham chucked at him.

One save, a backward fingertip flick to turn Paul Trollope's shot away from the top corner had the home fans chanting : 'Sign him up.'

At the final whistle the entire Fulham team added their congratulations and the 38-year-old former Wales international was chaired off - perhaps with some difficulty - by his overjoyed teammates.

In footballing terms it was no contest as Keegan, bank-rolled by Mohammed Al Fayed's millions, turned out a team that cost £18m to assemble against a side collected for peanuts and run on a shoestring.

But Leigh clearly hadn't read the script. If they had, they ignored it. Backed by around 700 boisterous fans, they set out simply to enjoy the day. By the end the Cinderalla club from the UniBond League were still enjoying their fairytale.

Felgate had already earned his keep with three top class saves from Fulham's dangerous German striker Dirk Lehmann as Fulham's set piece routines had Leigh in all kinds of bother at the back.

But the three central defenders of Graham Hill, Simon Turpin and Stuart Locke kept their composure and Leigh gradually got a toe-hold on the game.

And the youngsters started to blossom. None more so than17-year old wing-back Gary Prescott - home-reared and still to reach double figures for senior appearances.

Prescott tamed ex-England winger John Salako so well in the first half that he was switched to the right in the second half before eventually being withdrawn.

Then suddenly the minnows were in dreamland. Twenty minutes gone and Fulham's Welsh international defender Chris Coleman brings down Dave Ridings outside the area; Locke and Anthony Whealing line it up before Whealing sent RMI into ecstasy by firing the low drive into Maik Taylor's bottom right-hand corner.

As RMI fans taunted Keegan with chants of : 'Keegan, Keegan what's the score,' Ridings should have made it 2-0 in the 35th minute when Ian Monk put him clear but the midfielder side-footed tamely at Taylor.

Less than 60 seconds later Felgate was beaten for the one and only time when, from another Steve Hayward corner, Lehmann lost his markers and sent a bullet header into the top corner.

Had Leigh's moments of glory been restricted to just 16 minutes?

Not by a long chalk.

They hardly had a kick in the second half as the Craven Cottagers piled forward. Full-backs Rufus Brevett and Gus Uhienbeek provided the ammunition; Lehmann, Peschisolido and Co fired the bullets.

Their goal lived a charmed life as Felgate's collection of breathtaking saves soared into double figures; the final minutes taking an eternity to tick away as Keegan prowled helplessly like an expectant father outside his dugout.

But it was Leigh's day - a moment of sporting history. LEIGH: Felgate, Locke, Whealing, Hill, Prescott, Turpin, Monk (Cryer 83), Ridings, Matthews, Evans, Smyth. Subs (not used): Wallace, James, Rostron, Senior.

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