Shambolic Avenue crashed to their sixth UniBond Premier Division defeat in a row last night - and should be grateful they only shipped six goals!

Second-placed Frickley simply tore Avenue apart and were two up in eight minutes through Rob Pell and Simon Collins.

The shock opening clearly got to teenage keeper Neil Thompson, who then started to spill the ball in front of his disorganised defence.

Avenue had new signing Rodney Rowe from Farsley Celtic lining up alongside Curtis Bernard but the 31-year-old former Huddersfield, Gillingham and Hull City striker made little impression on his debut.

Avenue's only effort on target in the first half was a Craig Smith free-kick which was well saved by 40-year-old Gary Ingham.

Frickley took advantage of a defensive mix-up to add a third through Andy Evans in the 24th minute and Martin Woolford made it 4-0 before the interval.

Avenue manager Gary Brook, who had warned his players to perform after last week's home defeat to Matlock Town, made a clear point to his players when he hauled off Brook Newton and Niall O'Brien a couple of minutes before half-time and replaced them with Chris Siddall and Tom Greaves.

In the second half, Avenue went to three at the back - Siddall, Dean Jones and Jason Wray - with Tom Agus pushing up the left flank to bolster the attack.

But Frickley soon made use of the extra space when Woolford found himself alone and with the ball. He strode into the penalty area to stroke the ball past the shell-shocked Thompson to make it 5-0.

Avenue, to their credit, kept fighting, but Frickley were hardly breaking sweat when Greaves bundled the ball in to make it 5-1.

Brook sent on youngster Paddy Mumbly to replace Smith in the 63rd minute but Frickley's answer was to increase their lead - substitute Chris Adam scoring with a diving header after Avenue's defence had been pulled apart again.

Avenue scored their second from a penalty ten minutes from time when Bernard was hacked down. Walsh fired in from the spot.

Don't let any diehard fans say Avenue drew the second half.

Overall it was a worrying display which leaves them hovering precariously above the drop zone.

It's now 11 league games without a win and on this form, Burscough must be

rubbing their hands at the prospect of visiting Horsfall Stadium next Saturday.