Accrington Stanley 1 Leigh RMI 2

ACCRINGTON Stanley are all but doomed to relegation after old boy Tony Black helped the Railwaymen to a comfortable victory on his return to the Crown.

With Spennymoor winning at the weekend, Wayne Harrison's men are now 12 points from safety with only six games left, including tonight's meeting with neighbours Bamber Bridge.

The Reds were second best for much of this contest and the visitors should have been out of sight long before Steve Tobin wrapped up three points 12 minutes from time.

The woodwork came to both sides' rescue when respective goalkeepers Jamie Speare and Dave Felgate were beaten in a goalless first half.

Neil Matthews rattled the bar when he capitalised on a Paul Bottomley mistake and, although Stanley looked like a team rooted to the bottom of the table, Paul Heavey almost gave them the lead when he struck the Leigh bar.

But Black continued his goalscoring form since joining the Railwaymen when he latched on to a Mick Wallace through ball and lashed a shot past Speare in the 55th minute.

Billy O'Callaghan did pull one back 13 minutes later when he was left unmarked to head past Felgate from a pinpoint right wing cross to notch his 28th of the season.

But the Reds joy was short-lived as Tobin picked up a headed clearance on the edge of the box and drove a well struck effort into the bottom corner to seal three points in the 78th minute.

Leigh boss Steve Waywell was delighted with the way his side performed, although he felt the margin should have been greater.

"It is a good start for us but Accrington were a poor side and we should have won more convincingly.

"We missed some easy chances but at the end of the day I have to be satisfied with a win away from home."

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