FC open Leigh stadium

Source: Manchester Evening News

Stuart Brennan
26/ 1/2009

FC UNITED christen Leigh Genesis’ new stadium tomorrow night, with manager Karl Marginson hoping for a little more luck than they had at the weekend.

The Rebels hit the woodwork an astonishing SEVEN times in the 2-1 defeat at Witton Albion, six of them in the second half, and Marginson is hoping that such ill fortune does not befall his team against the UniBond premier’s bottom club at Sports Village Stadium.

“I can’t remember a game where anyone hit the woodwork so many times,” says Marginson, whose team remain just three points outside the play-offs. “It was just one of those games, and if we had got our noses in front I feel we would have won comfortably.”

Now Marginson is warning his side to be on their guard against a team which has been in freefall, without a league win since October and having lost their last four without scoring, including a 5-0 defeat at Matlock at the weekend.

“It will be a big boost for them, moving into the new stadium, and for the game to be against us as well,” said the FC boss. “They have quite a lot of young lads, and I am sure their manager will be focusing on getting them to play without fear.”

Stalwart defender Rob Nugent will be missing after breaking his nose and being knocked out at Witton, with Adam Turner stepping in to partner Dave Chadwick in defence.

Marginson still has to decide whether to stick with Tris Whitman up front after he marked his first start for the club with the goal at Witton, or whether to restore Tommy Turner to his partnership with top scorer Kyle Wilson.

Marginson’s side has developed an unhealthy knack of under-performing against relegation strugglers – the six teams directly above Leigh have all taken points off them this season.

But Marginson feels that is the nature of the division his team are in: “Quite a few of the top teams have been beaten by those at the bottom.

“Witton beat us, but they have improved a lot since we beat them in October and should climb away from the relegation zone pretty quickly.”