Avro manager Alex Frost refused to be too downhearted despite the end of his side’s perfect start to their league season after two late goals secured a 2-0 win for Congleton Town at the Vestacare Stadium, writes Liam Bambridge.

“Overall I don’t think we deserved to get beaten by a very good side,” was Frost’s assessment of a high quality encounter, in which experienced former Port Vale striker Tom Pope’s contribution eventually proved decisive.

“I thought in that second half there was only going to be one winner. However, we could not make our pressure count on the score sheet, and when you are up against someone with that quality, there is always the danger that he will make you pay for it in the end.”

The visitors had more of the possession in the opening period, but rarely troubled home keeper Grant Shenton thanks to another superbly organised display from the home defence. Indeed the main talking point came at the other end just before the break, when Liam Ellis was brought down in the area, but the referee waved away the penalty appeals.

After the interval Avro camped in the opposing half, and a breakthrough looked increasingly likely. However, after Ellis had hit the crossbar and Michael Afuye had fired a shot just wide of the far post, the home side were hit by a sucker punch with just three minutes remaining. Pope had been well contained by central defenders Tommy Lent and Sam Rathbone all evening, but on the first occasion that he managed to escape their attentions, he rounded Shenton and pulled the ball back across the six yard box for substitute Jonathan Beaumont to bundle the ball home.

The goal was the first that the Avro defence had conceded in 627 minutes of league football, but just two minutes later Congleton doubled their lead when Pope fired home from an acute angle to leave the home fans wondering what might have been.

“It just wasn’t our night,’ admitted Frost. “But we are not going to let it affect us too much. The lads are gutted right now, but we need to put it behind us and get ready for Ashton on Saturday.

“We have still made a great start, and this result doesn’t change that. We just need to make sure that we get back in the winning habit as quickly as possible.”

Avro remain third in the table despite this setback, and are next in action at the Vestacare Stadium on Saturday, September 17, when Charnock Richard are the visitors.