WINSFORD’S woe worsened as skipper Mischa Showers’ limped off with a season-ending injury.

Blues’ talisman was carried off before the break in their latest defeat, a suspected hairline fracture of his ankle evidence enough he has kicked his last ball of the campaign.

His shot-shy teammates must save their season without him.

Their third blank in seven days – a midweek defeat at home to St Helens followed last Saturday’s stalemate with Bacup – leaves manager Joe Gibiliru with plenty to ponder.

Dave Tasker, last week hailed as the answer to his attacking problems, has returned to Middlewich already after making a single start.

They rarely looked like troubling their promotion-chasing opponents Lee Duckworth’s clearance rebounded to New Mills’ top scorer Gary Kharas, who skilfully tempted Jamie Mottershead off his line before sliding home a smart finish.

Carlos Meakin drilled a second on the stroke of half time to end the contest.

A harsh penalty, punishing Ian Callaghan for an inadvertent handball, allowed Kharas to further massage the result in stoppage time.