Frustrated Newton ready to ride to the rescue at Tamworth

A five-match suspension following successive red cards has coincided with a downturn in form which has seen Brakes drop into the Conference North relegation zone.

And, ahead of the trip to The Lamb, the former Barwell hitman said he is looking forward to being able to have a positive influence on proceedings again.

“I’ve been pulling my hair out,” said Newton.

“I’m not used to watching from the sidelines, especially not at Leamington where I’ve been playing most games.

[Against Lowestoft] I was screaming from the sidelines to push up. I could see what was happening but it wasn’t having any effect and when their [second] goal came it was inevitable.”

With the 2-1 home defeat to Lowestoft taking Brakes’ winless streak to eight games, the return of the 17-goal striker cannot come soon enough.

The fans are already singling him out as their only hope to avoid the drop and, while other players may be laden down by the pressure, Newton is keen to embrace it.

“People looking to me is a compliment. They expect me to do good things.

“The last thing we want is to go down and everyone is trying their hardest to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“I made a mistake, served my suspension and now I need to put it right, to try and redeem myself.”

Brakes boss Paul Holleran certainly believes Newton, whom he affectionately refers to us as Captain Caveman, will thrive on the responsibility, with his workrate at both ends of the pitch having been sorely missed.

“He’s dying to get out there and he’ll give us a lift in both boxes,” said Holleran.

“What people don’t realise is that he’s one of our main markers - the amount of times he wins first and second ball in our own box. He’s got drive and determination and he leads from the front.

“But it’s not just Danny - we need 11 big performances.

“Tamworth need to win to keep their play-off hopes alive and we need to win to stay up.

“It doesn’t get much bigger.”