Furious Avenue manager Gary Brook accused his players of "cheating" after the side slipped to their fifth consecutive UniBond Premier Division defeat.

Avenue have now not won in the league for ten matches, since beating Burscough on October 29.

In an appalling first half at Horsfall Stadium on Saturday, they went two goals down and Brook said: "I felt sorry for the supporters in the first half.

"Three or four of my players were cheating. I WILL say cheating because I told them the same at half-time.

"When they can come out in the second half and perform like they did, they are cheating as far as I am concerned.

"I am not having it. It is completely up to them now. Some of them have got to sort themselves out because overall we are a very good side.

"But we are not good enough at the minute. I said at half-time I don't like being cheated as a manager by players.

"They have cheated themselves, their team-mates, the supporters and they have cheated me. They have got to perform or we will be in a relegation battle. It is as simple as that."

Avenue, who brought Brook Newton and Steve Oleksewycz back into the starting line-up, had plenty of possession in that

horror-show first half and sent in plenty

of crosses but Matlock coped well and hit the home side on the break with deadly accuracy.

Steve Taylor was the main danger for Matlock and his first chance came after five minutes but he shot straight at Neil Thompson, who was making his home debut for Avenue in goal.

Newton headed narrowly wide from a Tom Agus cross but it was Matlock who took the lead after 20 minutes when Simon Barra-clough found himself unmarked on the left from a quickly-taken free-kick. He put in Dene Cropper, whose shot was parried away by Thompson. The ball fell invitingly to Taylor and he fired into an empty net.

Damien Dunne then chested the ball off the line from Kris Bowler after good work by Taylor.

Matlock were quicker to the ball, although Liam Flynn was causing problems on the right for Avenue.

Five minutes before the break, Matlock scored a killer second goal when Barra-clough found himself in the clear and he lobbed Thompson.

Avenue could have pulled one back before the interval but a Dunne shot was blocked and Andy Richmond made a great save from Oleksewycz.

Avenue came out for the second half a

different team after their rollocking from Brook and Niall O'Brien deservedly pulled a goal back when he ghosted in at the far post to head in an Agus free-kick.

That was a signal to pile forward and Avenue had enough pressure to force an equaliser.

It didn't come though and Thompson had to be sharp to prevent Taylor from adding to Matlock's score.

Tom Greaves came on for Oleksewycz and later Danny Walsh replaced the industrious and skilful Craig Smith.

Chris Siddall was given five minutes after replacing man-of-the-match Agus, who had run himself into the ground with his forages up the left.

Despite much huff and puff, Avenue failed to give Matlock keeper Richmond a hard time - and now the side faces a mammoth task at Frickley on Friday night.