Guiseley 0, Leigh RMI 3; Unibond League, by Ian Whiting.
Guiseley edged a step nearer to disaster on Saturday as they dropped to the brink of the relegation zone in the Premier Division with a lethargic display against Leigh RMI.
They will not face the quality of opposition that champions-elect Leigh provided in this one-sided fixture every week, but they must take their plight seriously now.
With just nine games of their season left Guiseley are third from bottom, just four points clear of Spennymoor United - who have a game in hand - and face two games against clubs in the top four and three vital clashes against fellow strugglers.
With player-manager Bobby Davison leading the attack against Leigh, assistant Neil Parsley was left to oversee the match strategy from the dugout.
He summed up the display he had witnessed succinctly - "poor."
He acknowledged the obvious class of the visitors but added: "What I saw in this match was unacceptable for Guiseley Football Club. It is not good enough for Bobby Davison and it is not good enough for Neil Parsley.
"I am not going to name names but the players who have under-achieved know who they are. When only three men put in a performance anywhere near things have to change."
When asked if the club could avoid relegation he replied: "We have got to, there is no alternative. The same faces will be involved on Wednesday because we haven't got the resources to make sweeping changes, but we will see an improvement."
The victory pushed Leigh closer to the Conference as they are now six points clear in the race for the title with a game in hand on second placed Gateshead.
They came to Nethermoor with a mission and they were on their way to accomplishing it when Brian Ross opened the scoring in the 13th minute.
A burst down the right flank saw the ball reach Peter Cumiskey on the corner of the area and when his low cross cut out Guiseley keeper Nigel Muttick the England semi-pro International swept the ball home.
Leigh continued to be first to every ball, win every challenge and threaten with every attack and they doubled their lead with an exquisite goal seven minutes before the break, Steve Jones' first time half volley from the corner of the area catching Muttick off his line.
The contest was ended two minutes into the second half when Ged Kielty fired in the third at the far post.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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