Burton Albion 3 Leigh RMI 2: LEIGH RMI were made to count the cost of two errors in six minutes just before half-time - beaten ultimately by a vicious 90th minute deflection as their passionate performance came to nothing at Burton.

Draws with Shrewsbury and Exeter had given Phil Starbuck a platform to build on as the manager faced his former employers.

Such confidence was rooted in their early performance too as an unchanged side had Albion on the rack with efforts from Wayne Maden and Carl Barrowclough testing Burton 'keeper Matt Duke.

Duke made a fine save low to his right to deny Dave McNiven's twenty-yarder in the tenth minute but he'll remember his next contribution to the match in much finer detail.

Attempting to swipe a long ball upfield in too much of a hurry, Duke thudded his clearance against the retreating Maden and watched in horror as McNiven seized on the loose ball and rolled it into the empty net for his 12th goal of the season.

Duke's blushes were almost spared within a minute, but when Dale Anderson teed him up with a delightful cut back, Adam Murray could only respond by squirting his header three feet wide of the gaping goal.

Although Burton attacks were sporadic and generally ineffective, Anderson was at the centre of them all and it was his influence that turned the game on its head in the six minutes leading up to the break.

First, he punished Gary Kelly's weak punch and resisted the attentions of three defenders to sweep home the equaliser. He then produced a carbon copy of the move which set up Murray to allow Jonathon Howard to notch a second with a casual low header.

Unfazed

Leigh couldn't wait for the half-time whistle but they were unfazed by Burton's advantage and set about stifling their opponents.

RMI's own potent weapon seemed to lie in the pace of Barrowclough early on but once checked by two defenders in the second half, Maden took stage. His heart and commitment pushed Leigh forward and he was rewarded with an equaliser six minutes from time.

Substitute Ian Monk drifted a ball over to the far post, where Maden hung highest to head his third goal in four games.

Leigh's passing football renaissance in full flow, it seemed hardly likely that they would lose the game by ditching the route one tactic but that's exactly what happened.

Paul Shepherd was the guilty party caught trying to pass the ball out of trouble in the last minute, thus inviting Andrew Corbett's drive that

ricocheted in off Shepherd's right thigh.

"I've told the players they're all winners", said a dejected Starbuck. "Winners can be knocked on their backsides but they bounce back and that's what we've got to do.

"I'm just gutted because I've never seen a side work so hard and be as committed and passionate but still come away with nothing from the game. The players are very low, but it shows they really care."

RMI's squad looks likely to be strengthened for Saturday's trip to Forest Green as midfielder Ged Kielty returns to the club after a three-month loan at Stalybridge Celtic. Assistant manager Steve Redmond could also be available as a player if he recovers from the calf injury he sustained against Scarborough.