Avro manager Alex Frost was delighted with the resilience shown by his threadbare squad as they recorded a 2-0 win at Golcar United to progress to the second round of the Macron Cup on Tuesday night.

Injuries and unavailability meant that Frost had to make six changes to the side which had started the 1-0 defeat at home to Vauxhall Motors last Saturday, with winger Osebi Abadaki and goalkeeper James Coates making their debuts, and youngster Oliver Froggatt handed his first senior start. However, Liam Ellis’ 18th goal of the season and Callum Nicholas’ late penalty were enough to set up a local derby against Abbey Hey in the next round on March 30th.

“I am really pleased for all of them out there tonight’ was Frost’s initial reaction to a fourth clean sheet in six away games since he took over the managerial reins in January.

“We had to make a lot of changes and the new lads have obviously not trained with the squad at all. I thought we inevitably looked a little bit like a side getting to know each other in that first half because of that, but we really clicked after the break, and I thought that we were worthy winners by the end.”

There was very little by way of clear cut goalscoring opportunities for either side before the break, with Kane Wallwork’s long range effort the nearest that the visitors came to breaking the deadlock.

All that changed after the interval, with substitute Aaron Nuttall almost scoring a spectacular opener with his first touch in an Avro shirt, only for his dipping volley to fly just wide of the post.

However, the reprieve for the home side was brief, as moments later a Steve Mason ball into the box was helped on by Lee Grimshaw and Ellis finished clinically.

Golcar pushed hard for an equaliser, but after Coates had made a brilliant point blank save to keep his new side in front, Grimshaw was tripped in the area and Nicholas made no mistake from the spot.

Next up for Frost’s side is a trip to Moss Rose to take on Macclesfield tomorrow afternoon, and the former Ashton United defender has urged his players not to get carried away by the occasion.

“They won the league last weekend so maybe not quite as many will turn up to watch us, but there are still likely to be at least 3000 fans there,” said Frost.

“That’s by far the biggest crowd that most of my players will have ever experienced, but ultimately it’s eleven against eleven on the pitch. We have beaten them once already this season, and we’d love to do the double over them.

“If we play as well as I know we can, we have a chance. It’s going to be a brilliant occasion regardless of the result, but the three points would be a fantastic note on which to end our travels this season.”

One member of the squad who will definitely not be involved is Wallwork, as he begins a four game ban after his second sending off of the campaign last weekend.

“Kane will be a big miss for us,” added Frost. “He is an outstanding defender at this level, and I know that he is as gutted as I am that he will not be involved,

“However, it is what it is; he’s Avro through and through and he’s a massive part of our plans for next season.”