AVENUE boss Mark Bower believes tiredness and squad depth were the reasons his side were beaten at home 2-0 by main relegation rivals Curzon Ashton in the Vanarama National League North.

The hosts were only able to recall on a team of 15 with the bench made up of assistant manager Danny Boshell, goalkeeper Joe Green, youth team player Joe Ockerby and defender Ryan Toulson.

This came after injuries to regular starters Oli Johnson and Adam Nowakowski in a week with included victories over Chester and King's Lynn Town.

Bower thinks this was the main factor why his team were seemingly out battled by Curzon.

He said: "It felt like it was a game too far this afternoon. We were a little too flat that first half with the other two games taking their toll. You get it this time of the year with the pitches and niggly injuries.

"We have got a few lads on the pitch who should not be there, but we just had no bodies. Without them (Curzon) doing much we just could not get up to the standard which we had set in the last couple of games.

"We have got no funds to bring anybody in as a signing. We are just borrowing and stealing in terms of loaning players. With the EFL deciding to suspend games those loans have stopped.

"Effectively we only had 11 outfield players today, it has been really tough. We can't get anyone in for a whole host of reasons, that would have made a big difference this afternoon with the freshness."

Avenue were downed by a late first half strike by Michael Calveley and a late finish from Fabio Tavares.

Bower is adamant that his team would have stood a better chance if it was not for conceding that first goal.

He said: "We had to stay in it at half time but the way they set up, they made sure that they did not give anything away and then tried to catch us on the break.

"We gave the ball away poorly and got caught. It left us with a mountain to climb.

"It was pretty even up until that time but that has been the theme all season when games have been tight it has tilted into the oppositions favour, it is often self inflicted.

"We played better second half, if we went in 0-0 I thought we could have got something out of the game but goals change games.

"Today it was the fact we did not have enough players we barely had enough to put out a team today. Credit to Curzon they came and did a job but if we had played this game last week when we were a bit fresher, we could have gave a better account of ourselves."