DAVID Unsworth is preparing his side for "major surgery" after suffering back-to-back defeats with a 2-1 loss at Halifax.

Latics went into the break goalless, despite improving and creating chances as the first half wore on, with new signing Timmy Abraham looking to have an impact on his debut.

However, they conceded from a 64th minute set piece, with Mani Dieseruvwe heading in Luke Summerfield's free kick. And despite Ben Tollitt getting them back on level terms with a superb finish in front of the 2,300-strong travelling fans - after brilliant work by Abraham in the build-up - an unmarked Rob Harker rounded off a quick marker to win it for the home side in the 85th minute.

It was a bitter blow to Unsworth, who after registering his first league win as Latics boss at home to Yeovil a week ago saw his side lose 1-0 at Altrincham on Tuesday and suffer more heartache at the Shay.

"It's hard to put into words how I feel right now, the disappointment I have. But what I will say is we have two weeks now to our next league game, and by hook or by crook our team will look totally different from that.

"I've looked the players in the eyes and I've just told them that.

"I'll work night and day to get better players in, I can assure you.

"It's probably the biggest period since I've been here. I've been dead honest with the players all along, but I can't keep watching that. We've got to have major heart surgery because it's required.

"I don't want to sound disrespectful but I feel so sorry for our fans here today. I don't know what to say to them."

Of the game, Unsworth added: "There was nothing in the game. Like we said beforehand we thought it would be a tight game.

"First half I thought we were slightly the better team, second half we were done by a set piece, a really poor goal. We did great to get back into the game and I actually thought when we scored we'd go on and we'd get the winner, and their second goal comes from a throw-in on the halfway line. It's just a catalogue of errors. It's just incredible. I've never seen anything like it in my life.

"We gave the ball away cheaply, we get done for pace down the sides and there's one player in the box and we've got three there. It's just really, really poor defending and one, two, three mistakes lead to a goal.

"We've had harsh words, we've had encouragement, we've had kind words, we've cajoled, we've tried to give them confidence. We have given them nine opportunities - my ninth game today - and if you give them nine opportunities and you keep picking the same team and keep doing the same things and you keep losing something's got to change, so before people change me, I will change the team."