Leamington 0 Vauxhall Motors 1: Lacklustre Brakes unable to get out of first gear after Motormen opener

The visitors may have stated their intention to resign from the league at the end of the season but after an injury-time defeat at Guiseley on Saturday was compounded by the departure of manager Carl McCauley they will have been delighted to bounce back with a victory.

Steven Tames had scored both goals in the Motormen’s victory at Rivacre Park back in November and he capitalised on more defensive hesitancy to bag the decisive strike in this game.

It could have been so different had Leamington taken one of their early chances but they seemed to be suffering a hangover from the second half of the Oxford City game and it seemed almost inevitable that Vauxhall would score having weathered the early storm.

Ricky Johnson burst into the area inside the first couple of minutes but dragged his shot across goal, while Joe Magunda directed a header on target from a corner only for Louis Barnes to clear off the line.

Johnson found space again to charge clear into the box on the right and fire low across goal with Danny Newton only inches from connecting.

Tames then chased towards the Leamington goal and after his initial shot was blocked the follow-up effort pinged off the inside of the post as Liam Daly slipped while trying to clear.

Newton’s workrate was again top class as he beat a defender in a straight sprint to a pass down the left, playing an inviting ball into the centre which was half-cleared to the edge of the box, but with only Johnson up with him in support there was nobody to take advantage and get another shot in.

Newton was doing his level best to get Brakes on the scoresheet and met another corner with a near-post flick that was somehow cleared by Motors skipper Tom Hannigan. Newton then volleyed over the bar from a tight angle on the left.

Having done the majority of the pressing in the opening stages the sucker punch arrived in the 22nd minute, Tames nipping in to intercept a ball back towards Breeden before slotting it into the far corner.

It was always likely to be an uphill struggle from then on with Brakes lacking the guile to unlock the visitors’ defence.

Newton linked well with strike partner Johnson on the edge of the box to get a shot in which was saved by Zak Jones, while Stephan Morley drove well wide from distance.

A great ball to the far post from the left by the skipper saw Andy Nicholas intercept just in time to prevent Johnson from getting an effort in on goal.

James Mace then headed a difficult chance wide from a free-kick into the same area, despite being sandwiched by two defenders as he met the ball.

Leamington were unable to create chances with the same frequency in the second half and on the odd occasion they looked like creating something there was always a white shirt or three in the way to get whatever was needed on the ball to clear.

Daly’s looping header from a corner was held on the line by Jones, while a mazy run from Newton saw the same result as he fired towards the near post from the right.

Vauxhall were not without chances of their own, however. Lloyd Ellams shot just wide while off balance and Breeden was forced to punch Karl Clair’s shot away from goal.

Danny Fearnhough fired across goal after skipping inside to create space for a shot on the left as the visitors looked to add a second, but ultimately one goal was all that was required as Newton glanced a late header wide from Morley’s left-wing cross.

brakes: Tony Breeden, Ryan Higgins, Stephan Mor-ley, Joe Magunda, Liam Daly, James Mace, Matt Dodd, David McNamee (Josh Hawker, 75), Danny Newton, Ricky Johnson (Aron Wint, 70), Lee Moore (Peter Till, 65). Subs not used: Josh Green, Lewis Fenney.

Vauxhall Motors: Zak Jones, Steven Wainwright, Louis Barnes, Tom Hannigan, Andy Nicholas, Danny Fearnhough, Tom Rutter, Karl Clair, Steven Tames, Lloyd Ellams, Jordan Brierley (Kynan Mason, 79). Subs not used: Adam Hughes, Mark Bainbridge, Anthony Wright.