Football: Carl Macauley signs creative midfielder Paul Brown as Vauxhall Motors battle the drop

AS Vauxhall Motors’ hopes of remaining in Blue Square North become ever slimmer, manager Carl Macauley has drafted in former Tranmere Rovers midfielder Paul Brown to try to beat the odds and stay up.

With the Motormen seven points adrift of safety with only 12 points left to play for, their rivals have between one and four games in hand over them and the Rivacre Park outfit are now favourites to face the drop into the UniBond Premier.

Motors have two games this weekend, as they go to relegation rivals Stafford Rangers on Saturday before entertaining Stalybridge Celtic on Easter Monday (3pm).

Brown has been brought in from Witton Albion as Macauley looks to rip up the form book and string four wins together for the first time this season.

After making his debut for Tranmere in 2004, the creative midfielder was loaned out to Accrington Stanley before signing for Barrow in 2007.

He spent some time at Kingston City FC in Australia before returning to Barrow.

Last summer he was signed by Droylsden and scored 10 goals in 30 games before moving to Witton Albion, staying just a fortnight before switching to Motors.

“We have missed someone with some creativity in the final third,” said Macauley. “That is what Paul brings. He has plenty of experience at national Conference level and with the type of player he is he has lifted the rest of the squad.”

Macauley knows survival is a tough ask now, but he refuses to give up until Motors’ fate is certain.

“We are still in Blue Square North,” he said. “The club has not had any discussions with me about next season.

“Perhaps once the club is dead and buried then the chairman will have a word with me but until then we are still fighting for our place in this league.

“We are running out of games but all we can do is try to take maximum points from the games we have left and put pressure on the teams around us.

“That is our focus. We have to stay concentrated on that.”

Admission to Monday’s game at Rivacre Park is £8 adults, £5 concessions, £3 students (with student ID) and all under 16s get in free.