Canvey Island 3 Leigh RMI 0: PHIL Starbuck will be the first to admit that Leigh RMI have struggled even with a full squad this season.

Seeing it depleted by bouts of flu and mumps, and being forced to don the shirt himself, is hardly likely to induce a change of mind.

Eleven months after his last appearance at Telford, Starbuck appeared as a substitute for the final 13 minutes at Canvey Island.

But the outcome was similar - the boss experienced a 5-0 hammering the last time out, this time only three slipped through the RMI rearguard. For the second time in as many Saturdays, Leigh lost in Essex, but its manner was bustling and combative in the face of such adversity.

The Islanders' first half-chance was 20 minutes in the making and when it came, Junior McDougald could not steer Jon Keeling's cross on target.

The first effort was wide but Keeling's next creative offering produced Canvey's opener - Ollie Berquez the most alert in the six yard-box to turn the ball past Paul Crichton.

Undeterred by the deficit, RMI yielded just one more chance in the first period when Ben Sedgemore lashed over the bar from the edge of the area.

But the visitors were slow starters after the break and stumped up a heavy price.

Provider Keeling turned goalscorer on 47 minutes as he latched onto an assist from Neil Gregory to grab the clincher.

Gregory had instigated an FA Cup giantkilling at Wigan in the not-too-distant past, but his popularity in Leigh plummeted with the advent of his latest success.

RMI came close to halving the deficit when Barry Miller connected well with a corner from Graham Hockless only to head wide.

But it all became immaterial when McDougald netted again four minutes from time.