MARK Patterson's search for an experienced midfielder finally bore fruit when he signed Mark Ford from Darlington on a month's loan.

The Leigh RMI boss has been frustrated over the past month by his inability to bring in new players and was relieved to have finally completed a deal.

"He will go straight into the team for the Southport game tomorrow but I am not looking to put too much pressure on him," admitted Patterson.

"He has a good pedigree and is very experienced having played throughout the leagues. I will be asking him to do a job and if he does that it will be good enough for me. It is about the team's performance and not one man."

Ford, 27, who has played a dozen games for Darlington this season, has previously played at Leeds, Burnley and Torquay.

The game could be the last one for leading striker Dino Maamria in a RMI shirt after the club gave him permission to speak to Conference rivals Stevenage.

"Dino has been talking to Stevenage but he will definitely play for us tomorrow," added Patterson. "I need to get a replacement before we can let him go."

RMI, fresh from their 4-2 midweek Lancashire Trophy win at Rossendale, are desperate for points from the game against Southport, now managed by Mike Walsh who was in charge at Bury when Patterson was a player at Gigg Lane.

The RMI boss said: "I know Walshy well and he was a winner as a player and a manager so I expect a real tough Lancashire derby. I am looking for more discipline from my players and a better result than the 2-0 defeat at Margate last week. The players were disappointed with their own display but they produced a professional performance against Rossendale which gave us four wins in our last five games."