Moors got back to winning ways in National League North as they overcame Leamington with a convincing performance at The Brewery Field.
A double from Glen Taylor proved the difference as Graeme Lee’s side strode towards all three points with their best showing of the campaign.
The captain opened the scoring on the 36th minute with a well-placed spot-kick, before doubling Moors’ advantage just 13 minutes from time as he fired a low shot into the bottom corner.
Moors kicked off the game looking in determined mood, Junior Mondal forcing a low save out of Rogan Ravenhill just two minutes into the contest.
Lee’s men almost went ahead in bizarre circumstances as a Matty Dolan corner stuck the shins of Leamington defender, Rob Evans, which caused the ball to ricochet across the face of goal and just wide.
Taylor went close 25 minutes in when he smashed a 30-yard freekick goalwards, only for Rogan Ravenhill to produce a brilliant save to paw the strike away from the top corner.
The front man wasn’t done there, as he received the ball on the edge of the area and fired a powerful strike on goal, but his effort flew just over the bar.
Both sides had half chances go begging just after the half hour mark, as Dan Meredith saw his cross loop into the hands of Brad James, before Olly Dyson had his shot saved by Ravenhill at the other end.
Moors were awarded a penalty on the 35th minute after Junior Mondal was hacked down by Ravenhill just inside the area. Taylor stepped up to take the spot kick and rifled it into the bottom left corner of the net to give his side the lead.
Taylor went close to another on the cusp of half time, as Ramshaw picked him out in the area, only to fire wide of the mark from close range.
Trailing at the break, Leamington looked to come out for the second half with energy. Joe Clarke almost gave the visitors the perfect start when he took aim from the edge of the area, only for his shot to go wide.
Paul Holleran’s men went close again on the 52nd minute as Luke Shaw’s cross found Max Ram in the penalty area. His strike was well kept out by the foot of Brad James.
Close calls for both sides came and went near the hour mark as McKeown fired over from range, before Shaw somehow had his effort deflected wide soon after.
The visitor’s had another effort just 10 minutes later, only for Adam Walker’s shot to hit his own man on the way, which allowed James to rush out and claim.
However, Moors doubled the lead with 77-minutes on the clock. A long ball from Dan Jones found Alfie Doherty, who did well to evade challenges in the area, before squaring the ball to Taylor. The big number 9 made no mistake and fired home into the bottom right corner of the net for his and Moors’ second of the game.
The Brakes almost produced an immediate response from kick off, as Tim Berridge got away down the left. He drove down on goal but saw his shot easily saved by James at his near post.
Doherty almost got Moors’ third of the game deep into stoppage time, but had his effort deflected wide by a retreating Leamington man.
A brilliant performance from Graeme Lee’s side as Moors claim their fourth league win of the season. Focus will now shift to next week’s FA Cup match away at West Auckland Town.
Full Time: Moors 2 Leamington 0
Moors: James, Dyson, Jones, Heaney, Taylor (Samuels 90+7), Ramshaw, Mondal (Doherty 74), Pollock, Hill, McKeown (Green 88), Dolan.
Subs not used: Johnson, Hancox, Butler, Salkeld.
Booked: Ramshaw (15), Jones (71), Doherty (90).
Leamington: Ravenhill, Meredith, Ram, Evans (Streete 88), Burton (Quaynor 66), Walker, Williams (Chiha 82), Clarke (Hill 83), Shaw, Lynn (Berridge 70), Farmer.
Subs not used: Watson, Shorrock.
Referee: Michael Crusham
Attendance: 1,219
Written by Noah Betts