Leigh RMI cruised to victory over 10-man Margate thanks to goals from Ian Monk and Dino Maamria.

Steve Waywell's outfit were always in control right from the first whistle and the visitors were well beaten before being reduced to 10 men late on when Iain O'Connell was sent off.

Phil Salt was first to threaten for Leigh but his 30-yard left-foot shot flew just wide before Maamria drilled a right-foot effort from 25 yards which was blocked by O'Connell.

Maamria again caused panic in the visitors' defence, while Salt had to move smartly across to parry a dangerous header from six yards out, and Sam Sodje did well to block a Wayne Maden effort.

Leigh opened the scoring 10 minutes before the interval when an Andy Heald corner was headed home from six yards by Monk to the delight of the home faithful.

Neil Durkin, Ged Kielty and Heald went close to adding to the lead in the second half before Leon Braithwaite went desperately close to an equaliser for Margate.

Leigh doubled their advantage soon after when Maamria drilled the ball home from close range past the exposed goalkeeper.

Braithwaite hit the woodwork for Margate in the dying seconds and their afternoon got worse when O'Connell was sent off for his second bookable offence seconds from time.

Leigh RMI: Coburn, Harrison, Durkin, Maden, Ludden, Monk, Kielty, Salt, Heald, Black, Maamria. Subs: Whitehead, Courtney, McGill, Cornelly, Williams.

Margate: Smith, O'Connell, Edwards, Sodje, Lamb, Keister, Munday, Leberl, Oates, Braithwaite, MacDonald. Subs: Shearer, Porter, McFlynn, Collins, Turner.

Referee: K Wright (Peterborough).