Avro manager Alex Frost admitted he was ‘massively disappointed’ with his side’s performance in their 2-1 defeat at the Brian Addison Stadium against Squires Gate on Wednesday night.

Three of the four sides above Avro in the NWCFL Premier Division table had dropped points the previous evening, presenting Frost’s men with a great opportunity to make up some ground.

However, two first-half goals from Nathan Cliffe were enough to win the game for the home side, with substitute Brad Sullivan’s first goal for the club coming too late, on 88 minutes, to alter the outcome of the encounter.

“We were nowhere near it in that first half,” said Frost. “We knew what their main attacking danger was, but we just did not deal with it. Our passing and set-pieces were woeful, and even though we might still have nicked a point had a couple of decisions gone our way in the second half, it would have been more than we deserved.

“Overall I am massively disappointed with the ninety minutes.”

Cliffe had already scored 10 goals in league and cup going into the game, and he took just eight minutes to add to his tally, darting in behind the Avro rearguard and finishing clinically.

His second was almost a carbon copy five minutes before the interval as Gate counter attacked after clearing a corner, and had it not been for two fine saves from Grant Shenton, the game would have been over as a contest by half time.

Avro improved slightly in the second half, and had a strong claim for a penalty turned down when substitute Ethan Sutcliffe was felled in the area.

A goalline clearance and an assistant’s flag, which overruled what looked like their opening goal, added to the feeling it was not going to be their night, and even after Sullivan had bundled home a cross from the left and the hosts had been reduced to nine men when Harrison Webster and Prince Yelegon both saw red, they were unable to find an equaliser.

Attention now turns to the Ro’s trip to the Marine Travel Arena tomorrow to face third-placed AFC Liverpool, with Frost confident he will get a response from his players to Wednesday’s disappointment.

He added: “It was an awful night, not one that I was expecting if I am honest, but we have not become a bad team overnight.

“We know it will be a really tough test, but we are confident that we can get a good result if we are at the top of our game.”

Midfielder Max Davidson will again be available for selection having completed his three-game suspension for his sending off at Bury, but Kane Wallwork faces a race against time to recover fully from an injury picked up last weekend against Ashton Athletic.

Frost will also be concerned Michael Afuye limped off on Wednesday after a series of robust challenges from the Squires Gate defence.