LEIGH RMI threw away their last remaining hope of a trophy on Tuesday night as UniBond Premier Division side Lancaster City annihilated them at a sodden Hilton Park.

The Dolly Blues fully deserved their win after a committed performance that outclassed the complacent Railwaymen in every department.

They opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Neil Durkin played a terrible ball across his own penalty box and Colin Potts picked up the pieces to slam home off the underside of the crossbar.

The game had offered no real defining moments up to that point, barring Dave Ridings' candidate for quickest caution of the season when his over-zealous challenge floored Kenny Mayers. Tony Black's long range effort represented the only RMI attempt on target in a turgid first half that grew yet more uninspiring in the second half with the ferocity of the driving rain.

Lancaster virtually sealed their semi-final date with neighbours Bamber Bridge 25 minutes from the end when Ged Murphy was penalised for a foul on Dean Martin, and when the protests ceased, Chris Ward drilled home the second from the penalty spot.

Leigh seemed strangely devoid of confidence after their comprehensive drubbing of Nuneaton only three days before and were punished for some loose defending 14 minutes from the end. Mayers found himself alone at the far post to volley Martin's cross back across the face of the goal, where Phil Brown thundered home a headed third.

It was the 21 goal in the last four Leigh RMI matches, and the 12th that they have conceded in losing three of those games. Leigh's undefeated league record in 2001 will be put to the test again tomorrow when Middlesex side Hayes are the visitors to Hilton Park.

The Morecambe league game scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March at Hilton Park has been postponed due to the Shrimps' involvement in the Lancashire Marsden Cup semi-final with Southport. No new date has yet been arranged.

RMI: Felgate, Spooner, Trees (Gardner 75), Durkin, Farrell, Swan, Kielty, Ridings, Morrell (Mason 58), Black, Murphy. Subs not used: Monk, German, Dootson.