Leigh RMI 1 Gravesend 2: TWO defensive errors in the space of three minutes cost Leigh RMI any hopes of victory on Tuesday and with it any real chance of survival.

The Conference strugglers are staring relegation in the face and with just five games left are seven points adrift of Farnborough, the team immediately above them.

Again the latest defeat was a case of Leigh shooting themselves in the foot.

They battled hard, and although Gravesend had the better chances, they were few and far between, and Leigh looked set for at least a point until a disastrous three minute spell.

Ian Martin, who had rescued his side with three superb saves, turned villain in the 72nd minute when his kick-out was intercepted by substitute James Pinnock, and he raced round the stranded keeper before firing home.

Three minutes later and RMI's defence was caught napping when Andy Drury's left wing cross was headed home at the far post by an unmarked Roy Essondol.

It could have been a much different outcome if, a minute before Gravesend's first goal, Tristram Whitman's shot had rolled home, instead of tantalisingly inches wide of the post.

The Railwaymen could not be faulted for endeavour, even if their passing and support play was at times questionable, and they were rewarded in the 89th minute when Wayne Maden's flicked header found David McNiven who produced a superb overhead kick for his 23rd strike of the season.

A disappointed Leigh boss Phil Starbuck admitted: "We worked so hard, had a great chance which was so close and then we let one in. The keeper was gutted because it was so sloppy; it is not like him.

"But we can't lie down and die, we have to keep battling away and hope we don't go down by default."