Carl Macauley branded his side’s FA Cup collapse as the worst Vauxhall performance he has seen since he took over as manager.
They were playing a team from the Conference Premier, but the Motors boss insists that was no excuse for his players being on wrong end of a 7-0 humiliation at Macclesfield.
“I can honestly say that is the worst performance I have witnessed since being manager of Vauxhall Motors Football Club,” Macauley said after the fourth qualifying round tie.
“I think the gulf in class between Conference Premier and Conference North was clearly evident as we were second best in all areas of the pitch.
“We had a good 15-minute spell in the first half but apart from that it was a poor performance.
“What is important now is how the players respond next Saturday.
“We need to bounce back quickly and get back to playing football how we were earlier in the season.”
Motors started brightly but it was the home side that broke the deadlock on 20 minutes when Arthur Gnahoua crossed from the left and Danny Whitaker was on hand to side-foot home the opener.
The home side doubled their advantage on 34 minutes when Scott Boden went down following a clumsy challenge from Louis Barnes in the area. In-form Connor Jennings stepped up and rifled home the penalty.
The Motormen didn’t give up but any hopes of a comeback were dashed just two minutes after the interval. Whitaker crossed for Boden who lashed the ball beyond Zac Jones from just inside the area.
New Motors signing Steven Tames had a great chance to pull a goal back when he lobbed the ball over onrushing keeper Rhys Taylor from close range but his effort went just over the crossbar.
Soon after Rowe made it 4-0 when he beat Jones with a screamer from outside the area. On 59 minutes, it was 5-0 when Peter Winn crossed from the left and picked out Rowe who smashed the ball home for his second of the game from 15 yards.
Rowe completed his hat-trick on 68 minutes when he beat the offside trap following a Whitaker through ball and had time to round Jones and tap the ball into the empty net.
Substitute Scott Kay scored goal number seven on 72 minutes when he fired into the far corner following a Boden cross.
Motors nearly grabbed a consolation goal on 80 minutes when Andy Nicholas crossed from the left and Tames rattled the crossbar from eight yards. Then keeper Taylor was brave to gather the rebound as Nicholas looked odds on to scramble the ball home.
After the game, manager Carl Macauley commented, “I can honestly say that is the worst performance I have witnessed since being manager of Vauxhall Motors Football Club. I think the gulf in class between Conference Premier and Conference North was clearly evident as we were second best in all areas of the pitch.”
He added, “We had a good 15 minute spell in the first half but apart from that it was a poor performance. What is important now is how the players respond next Saturday. We need to bounce back quickly and get back to playing football how we were earlier in the season.”
Vauxhall: Jones, Wainwright, Barnes, Hannigan, Nicholas, Fearnehough, Noon (Rutter 79), Clair (Kosylo 57), Tames, Ellams, Rugg (Hughes 73). Subs: Stott, Martindale, Ellison. Attendance: 956.
Motors host Leamington in Skrill North this Saturday, November 2 (3pm).