First team coach David Unsworth oversaw a very senior reserves side on Wednesday afternoon and admitted afterwards that whilst it was important that the players involved got game time, the level of their performance was not what had been expected of them.

"There are a lot of players who have not had a full game for quite a while," said the Chorley-born former defender. "There have been reserve games called off recently and players haven't played a full game for a good while, so that was the thinking behind including a lot of senior professionals.

"If they had been playing week in, week out in the past then they might not have been playing reserve games, but now if you're not playing you might get a run out every now and again in the reserves. It was a strong team.

"First and foremost it is a chance for people to get match fitness under their belts, that's the big aim really, but you also have to equip yourselves in the right way and go about your jobs.

"At the end of the day, they are professional footballers and you want them to go about it right and put in a shift and a performance and you want to win the game.

"I felt it was a poor performace and a poor result, as simple as that.

"The big plus is that a lot of players who haven't played recently have got 90 minutes under their belts, that's the big plus point, but there is no shying away from the fact it was a very disappointing performance and result."