Leigh RMI 1

Rossendale United 0 A SOLITARY second half goal from tricky winger Steve Jones was enough to see a RMI through to the third round of the Marsden Lancashire Challenge Trophy.

The 71st minute strike from Jones was the only warming moment for a sparse crowd on a bitterly cold night at Hilton Park where only the die-hards chose to move away from the fireside.

Those that did opt to stay at home weren't bad judges as a near full-strength Leigh side was well below its best and struggled to kill off their enthusiastic opponents from the NW Counties League.

On a difficult pitch, both sides found it difficult to string any sort of passing game together and for long spells extra time and penalties looked like the only way of deciding the tie.

Rossendale started at 100mph but for all their endeavour, RMI keeper Dave Felgate only had one testing save to make all night - that a low stop from Steve Cunningham's second half free kick.

But Cunningham should have done better early on when he pulled his shot wide after hesitancy in the Leigh defence gave him a shooting opportunity.

At the other end, United keeper Mark Andrews was equally redundant until Leigh stepped up the tempo in the final 20 minutes.

The introduction of Dave Ridings off the bench proved a key move with the midfielder bringing some poise and passing accuracy to a below par RMI.

The warning signs were there for Rossendale when Ridings put Jones clear in the 65th minute but on-rushing keeper Andrews took the ball off the winger's toe. But in an almost carbon copy move, Jones was freed by Ged Kielty's pass and the flame-haired striker calmly tucked the winner away in the 71st minute.

Leigh might have sewn it up long before the end but Neil Matthews saw his shot on the turn cleared off the line.