LEIGH RMI are reeling from two losses on the bounce - and a major injury blow.

Beaten on Saturday by Leek, they lost their Premiership top spot to Emley - the side they visit on Saturday - when they were beaten 1-0 by Guiseley on Bank Holiday Monday.

To top that new signing Mark Patterson could be out for the rest of the year. The former Bolton and Bury ace is to undergo knee surgery after just two appearances.

After winning their opening four matches, RMI have come crashing down from dreamland to despair.

Two players made their debut against Guiseley: Lee Pryor from Barrow and Lee Pryers, the ex-Bolton Wanderer.

But they could do little about it after RMI went behind after nine minutes. Steve Jones shot narrowly wide, Tony Black just missed with a header, Pryers shaved the bar with a late 30-yarder; at the other end, Dave Felgate did well to tip over a Lee Poole pile-driver in a rare counter attack.

"Although there was a massive improvement after the break, we didn't have one shot on target," said disappointed boss Steve Waywell.

Reflecting on the 2-0 defeat to Leek, Waywell said: "We dominated the first half and played our best football of the season in that spell. But after the break we lost our way."

Leigh created many chances in the opening 45 minutes, but turned round all square after both Tony Black and Mick Wallace hit the woodwork.

The Staffordshire side went clear when a miss-hit cross fell for Dave Sutton who finished well to put RMI behind for the first time this season.

After that RMI had to chase the game and were caught out again five minutes from time when an Eddie Turkington pass out of defence was intercepted and Sutton grabbed his second.

Our picture shows action from the Leigh-Guiseley encounter

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.