BRAKES manager Paul Holleran says his side need to put things right after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Spennymoor Town last weekend.
Ben McKenna and Glen Taylor scored in either half for the hosts at The Brewery Field, meaning Leamington drop to 15th in National League North.
Holleran believes the club’s winless run – which now stands at five games – always looked like being extended based on their showing in the North East.
“I think we’ve made two poor decisions from a shape point of view, and we’ve been punished,” he said.
“We started the second half brightly but we didn’t kick on from there – if anything Spennymoor kicked on and they got on top of us.
“In the second half they won more individual battles, every time we’ve got into the final third we’ve hit the wrong pass, and sadly we’ve looked a bit leggy.
“They came out on top in every area of the pitch, so no complaints really.”
The Leamington boss says his side can benefit from having no midweek fixture, adding: “I think we needed this bit of a breather this week.
“We’ve got three more of these games coming up so we’ve got to recover and we’ve got to get it right.”
Saturday’s encounter was the Brakes’ first of three trips to the region in the next month of fixtures, a run that they were unable to start on a positive note against play-off chasing Spennymoor.
The hosts had the majority of the first-half chances, keeping Leamington shot stopper Jake Weaver busy throughout.
A first real chance of note fell the way of James Roberts, who saw his drive kept out by the Leamington keeper, while Shane Henry was later denied by Weaver’s brave stop.
Spennymoor made the breakthrough 33 minutes into the game after Weaver clawed a cross straight into the path of McKenna – who had the simple task of directing the ball into the net.
A second goal was in the offing for the hosts but for the well-positioned James Mace to turn Glen Taylor’s header over the bar.
Stephen Morley posted the visitors’ only attempt of the half, albeit a straightforward one for Spennymoor custodian Matthew Gould to deal with.
Initial improvements were demonstrated by Holleran’s side after the half-time team talk, with Callum Maycock forcing Gould to get down low with a strike from the edge of the penalty area, while substitute Connor Taylor’s deflected effort also required a save at the near post.
Spennymoor always looked a threat and it only seemed a matter of time before their lead was extended.
And so that proved the case when McKenna drove a pin-point cross into Taylor to thump a header home 11 minutes from time to secure the points.
The scoreline could, and probably should have been extended, but for Weaver’s sensational double save to deny Rob Ramshaw and McKenna from close range in the dying moments.
Leamington return to the North East on Saturday (3pm), this time visiting eighth-placed Gateshead.
