Bishop’s Stortford 2 Vauxhall Motors 0

MOTORS boss Carl Macauley is bracing his team for ‘two cup finals’ as the fight for Blue Square North survival goes to the wire.

Saturday’s loss at Bishop’s Stortford saw Vauxhall drop back into the bottom three. They have just two games to secure their safety – at home to Corby Town this Saturday and away to Droylsden the following Saturday (both 3pm).

The bottom half of the table is incredibly tight, with everyone from 11th-placed Gloucester down looking anxiously over their shoulders.

Motors boss Macauley said: “It’s now back to the drawing board as we need to treat these last couple of games like two cup finals if we are to stay in this division.

“We know we have the quality of players to stay up, therefore it’s my job to get the best out of them.”

Bishop’s Stortford ran out worthy winners at Woodside Park on Saturday, although it was the visitors who got off to the better start. Kevin Holsgrove and Craig Mahon caused the home defence problems out wide, but Stortford broke the deadlock on 38 minutes when Reece Prestedge collected a loose defensive clearance and hit fine strike into the top right corner of Scott Tynan’s net.

The home side doubled their advantage on 51 minutes when Seb Dunbar crossed from the left and Ricky Sappleton was on hand to finish with an exquisite chip over the head of Tynan.

Macauley said: “I was disappointed with the performance. We looked a completely different side to the one that beat Stalybridge last Monday.

“Bishop’s Stortford were well organised at the back, however we have not created anything to test them.”

Vauxhall: Tynan, Fearnhough, Dames, Hannigan, Jones, Burke (Egerton), Mahon (Wynn), Mannix, Parkinson, Wilson, Holsgrove. Subs: Wright, Martindale, Spotswood. Attendance: 378.