Avro manager Alex Frost was ‘disappointed but not despondent’ after his side’s 2-0 defeat at promotion chasing Charnock Richard on Tuesday night, a score line which somewhat flattered the home side, writes Liam Bambridge.

The visitors were more than a match for their opponent until 20 minutes from time, when prolific striker Carl Grimshaw found some space in the box, and his powerful shot hit the post before ricocheting off the back of keeper Josh Ollerenshaw and trickling over the goal line.

“I thought we dominated the first half, but we didn’t manage to turn that domination into the lead that I felt we deserved,” was Frost’s assessment of a frustrating 90 minutes for his team, who were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Michael Afuye was brought down in the area with the game still goalless.

“The second half was more even, but then we make a mistake, they get a bit of luck and suddenly we are chasing the game.”

However, the former Ashton United defender conceded that the punishing schedule of the last five weeks had taken its toll in the last quarter of the encounter.

“We have played a lot of games recently and on some really heavy pitches,” added Frost. “Charnock are a very good side and your fitness and energy levels need to be spot on for the whole game if you are going to live with them.

“As always the lads gave it their all, but I felt we looked really tired once we went behind.”

Despite being up against it, the visitors managed to carve out their best opportunity of the evening when Louis Potts raced onto a flick from Liam Ellis and found himself with just the keeper to beat. However, home stopper Callum Jakovlkevs spread himself well to block the striker’s effort, and when Grimshaw went down in the area under pressure from Sam Rathbone just before the end of the 90 minutes, the referee pointed to the spot.

The decision infuriated the visiting supporters after Afuye’s appeal had earlier been waved away, but Frost was more sanguine in his response.

“There were others nearer to the incident than me who felt it was soft, but it looked pretty clear cut to me,” said Frost. I wasn’t happy with the way that the ref handled a couple of challenges on our players earlier in the game, but I thought he got this one right.”

Grimshaw duly picked himself up and coolly dispatched the penalty, and Avro’s attention now turns to tomorrow afternoon’s encounter with Vauxhall Motors at the Vestacare Stadium.

“Another tough one for us,” was Frost’s initial response to the challenge of facing a side who dented Charnock Richard’s promotion hopes with a 3-0 away win last Saturday - a factor which may also explain the home side’s energetic and committed performance on Tuesday night.

“I have always said that top six is the minimum that we should be aiming for at the end of the season, and three points in this one will go a long way towards achieving that objective.

“Vauxhall Motors showed last weekend that they can beat anyone on their day, so we will pay them the utmost respect and we will be ready for them.”