PAUL WHEELER's first goal since October ended a run of three games without a victory for promotion-chasing Leigh RMI.

Their 1-0 victory against Whitley Bay, coupled with Radcliffe's defeat and Lincoln's draw, sees them claw back some of the deficit at the top.

But Leigh know they are still misfiring badly and were lucky not to have lost a third successive match.

Whitley Bay missed two glorious first-half chances and could have had the points in the bag before Wheeler struck just before half-time.

Andy Blower and George Dixon let Leigh off the hook with tame finishes; the first firing directly at Dave Felgate, the other missing an open goal.

Creatively, Leigh were poor with the midfield unable to find the penetration to release front men Chris Shaw and Steve Shaughnessy.

Recent signing Shaughnessy worked hard to improve things, and from one of his determined runs wide on the right RMI broke the deadlock three minutes from half time.

His low cross was met first time by Chris Bermingham whose snap shot was blocked by keeper Terry Burke. But the alert Wheeler was on hand to sweep in the rebound.

Sixth-placed Whitley Bay, having decisively won the midfield battle, completely dominated the second half. But their finishing was as inaccurate as it had been in the first, and, despite shots raining in towards Felgate, the Leigh keeper hardly had a save to make.

Leigh carved out two openings that would have made the game safe. But Shaughnessy blazed over the bar and Wheeler pulled a shot wide.

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