Stevenage 3-1 Leigh RMI

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Anthony Elding struck three times in the second half to rescue Stevenage from a disappointing performance and seal a vital win over fellow strugglers Leigh RMI.

The home side looked nervous from the kick-off and, after home midfielder Sam McMahon had seen an ambitious 35-yard effort blocked, Leigh took an early lead with a quality finish from Wayne Maden.

The defender picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and beat goalkeeper Mark Westhead with a low, left-foot shot.

Stevenage were struggling to cause any problems for Leigh, but the visitors' solid backline was disrupted by the dismissal of Martin Lancaster after 32 minutes.

Lancaster clashed with Boro striker Tony Battersby and, as the defender made his way off the pitch, Battersby was also shown a straight red card for his part in the scuffle.

But the half-time break allowed Boro to regroup and two goals in as many minutes completed an amazing turn-around as the hosts took control.

Elding found the net with an excellent lob in the 52nd minute and moments later he drove home a 20-yard shot to give his side an unlikely lead.

And with 21 minutes remaining, Elding wrapped up the scoring and his hat-trick with a clinical header.

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Stevenage: Westhead, Travis, Bunce, Goodliffe, Laker, Carroll, Watson, McMahon, Cook, Elding, Battersby. Subs: Fraser, Wormull, Richards, Perez, Gary MacDonald.

Leigh RMI: Coburn, Harrison, Lancaster, Ford, Pendlebury, Maden, Salt, Durkin, Prince, Monk, Campbell. Subs: Bates, Keith Scott, Fitzhenry, Heffernan, Heald.

Referee: A Hogg (Sheffield).