VAUXHALL Motors slipped closer to the Blue Square North relegation trapdoor with this harsh defeat at Workington.

Already without Mark Maddox, Paul Taylor and Tom Field, the Motormen lost Lee Owens prior to kick-off and further injuries during the game to Lee Dames and Keith Smith, leaves manager Carl Macauley with a major headache ahead of today’s home game against play-off hopefuls Harrogate Town at Rivacre Park (3pm).

Despite the early setback, there is no doubt the visitors were much the better side in the first half yet went in at the break 1-0 down. Home keeper Adam Collin palmed away efforts from Peter Heler, Ged Brannan and Dave Roberts.

Heler was only inches away with a stunning 25-yarder soon after, before keeper Andrew Murphy kept out Jonny Wright.

But on 37 minutes, Graham Anthony hit a screamer into the top corner to give the hosts an undeserved lead.

Heler ought to have done better when played in on the left and then saw a late scissor-kick also turned away by Collin. Motors then threw caution to the wind in a final attempt to wrestle something from the game but the hosts wasted a good number of decent chances.

VAUXHALL: Murphy, Hitchen, Dames (McMahon 60), Griffiths, Egerton, Robinson, Smith (Hannagan 75), Brannan, Heler, Roberts, Holmes. Subs: Macauley, Rooney.