Avro manager Alex Frost was delighted with his side’s ‘best performance of the season’ after they produced an accomplished display to secure a 3-0 victory against West Didsbury and Chorlton at the Vestacare Stadium on Saturday.
The home side dominated the first half, and Jake Cottrell was inches away from giving his side the lead with a spectacular 40-yard effort, before a flowing move ended with Ethan Sutcliffe side-footing home Michael Afuye’s cross on 13 minutes to put them in front.
Cottrell made an important goalline clearance to deny Ben Elliott what would have been an undeserved equaliser for the visitors just before the break, and Afuye doubled the lead just past the hour mark, cutting in from the right before unleashing an unstoppable shot past West keeper Andrew Jones.
Kane Wallwork put the result beyond all doubt nine minutes from time with another shot from outside the area which flew into the bottom corner.
“I thought we were superb today,” said Frost post-match.
“We knew that we were up against really tough opponents, with one of the best strikers in the division, and we never let them settle into the game.
“We probably should have had the game won by half time, but we came out after the break and maintained the same intensity, which eventually got us the two goals that we deserved.
“For me, it was our best performance of the season, and we have had some good ones over the last three months so that tells you how pleased I was at the final whistle.”
The three points meant Avro closed to within two points of AFC Liverpool in third place after they were beaten 3-1 by new league leaders Wythenshawe Town, and also opened up a five-point gap on fifth-placed Prestwich Heys after their goalless draw with Irlam.
However, Frost continues to play down his side’s prospects of a promotion challenge.
He added: “We are still not even halfway through the season. Our aim has always been to improve on sixth place, which is where we finished in April, and at the moment we are on course to do that.
“But this is such a tough league from which to get promoted. We have to be in the top two to even have a chance of going up, unlike the levels above and below us, both of which give you the opportunity to get promoted via the play-offs if you finish in the top five.
“The only way that you are going to achieve that is if you are consistent - you can’t afford to win a couple and then lose the next two.
“We have been doing a bit too much, so we need to build on our two wins this week and turn in the same level of performance on Saturday at Irlam.”
Midfielder Max Davidson started both games after returning from suspension, and Frost was quick to acknowledge his significant contribution to the two successes.
“Max is a fantastic player, we really missed him at Squires Gate and AFC Liverpool.
“He has incredible energy and he brings a real calmness to our play in the middle of the park. He was not 100-per-cent sure he was going to be able to play on Saturday - he was really struggling in the warm up - but you would never have known it from the performance that he then turned in. He has been a big plus for us this season.”
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