David Unsworth says big refereeing decisions were influential in Latics' unbeaten start to 2023 in the league ending with a 1-0 defeat at home to Halifax, but admitted they were beaten by the better team.

The frustrated Latics boss felt his side fell below the standards they had set since the turn of the year, while a dubious penalty for the visitors and a red card for Mike Fondop added to the disappointment.

Unsworth, who was himself booked by rookie referee Dean Watson, said he could have no complaints about the striker's second half sending off, after he raised an arm towards left back Jack Senior.

The striker has apologised to Unsworth and his back-room team as well as his team-mates for the incident.

But there were a host of other decisions by the match official, who was making his National League debut, that left Unsworth and the majority of those inside Boundary Park baffled.

"Their penalty was very generous to say the least," said the Latics boss.

"Everybody who was at the game today will come away with an opinion on his (the referee's) performance and it's disappointing that we're talking about refereeing decisions over the period of a competitive game that there was nothing in.

"They got a penalty, we don't; we have a man sent off, which was right. There was all sorts going on and he lost control."

However, the referee's performance did not detract from lacklustre Latics dipping well below par.

"It's disappointing. We weren't as good as we have been over the last six weeks and our unbeaten run comes to an end. Fair play to Halifax, they were better than us today," said Unsworth.

"We huffed and puffed. Unfortunately the penalty decision... I felt as the game was going on it was a 0-0 game. There was nothing in the game. We made a couple of chances, they've had a few chances. It felt like a 0-0 game.

"We spoke at half-time about being more on the front foot and just tweaking how we were going to play and coming out the other side of a tight game. And then we go down to 10 men and it's backs against the wall stuff.

"We applied ourselves and threw caution to the wind and we threw strikers on and then we get done by the penalty and we just couldn't come back.

"It's a tough one to take. We've done well recently, we've got to go on another run now."

Latics will be without Fondop when they entertain Dagenham and Redbridge at Boundary Park - the second of four straight home games - on Tuesday night (kick-off 7.45pm), and Unsworth added: "I thought it was a sending off. Mikey's apologised. I didn't see it, I wasn't looking at the time, I've looked at it again and it was.

"It's disappointing, Mikey should know better, and he's apologised to myself, the staff and his team-mates, so that's that.

"It was the referee's first ever game (in the National League) today and everyone who was here will have an opinion on that. I certainly have one but it's probably best if I keep it to myself."