CURZON ASHTON 1, RADCLIFFE FC 1
What a difference a week has made for Curzon Ashton in their pursuit of promotion from Vanarama National League North.
This time last week they had just beaten play-off rivals Chorley 3-0 in the first of three successive home matches.
Had they managed to beat Marine on Saturday and Radcliffe FC tonight, they would have been on the shirt tails of the top teams with games in hand and with a genuine chance of battling for the title.
But a return of one point from a possible six has dramatically altered the scenario with the chance of winning the one automatic promotion place all but gone.
And with only two points between fifth-placed Curzon and King’s Lynn Town, who are ninth, it is going to be an almighty scrap to finish in the top seven.
Curzon, who won at Radcliffe in the league only 10 days ago, now have three successive away matches at Hereford, Chester and Needham Market. However, they have the best away record in the division with 11 wind and four draws from 17 games on the road so will head to those fixtures in confident mood.
There was disappointment after the slip ups against Marine and Radcliffe which is a measure of how expectations have rocketed at Curzon despite them operating with one of the lowest budgets in the division.
“We are one point closer to where we want to be,” explained player-manager Craig Mahom shortly after the Radcliffe game.
“There are nine games left, and we are fifth. If we had been offered that at the start of the season, everyone would have snatched off your hand to be in this position after 37 games.”
Mahon was disappointed to concede an 86th minute equaliser but on reflection thought it was a fair result against fast-improving Radcliffe.
There was drama before a ball had been kicked with a delayed kick off after referee Jake Allsopp was injured in the warm-up and replaced by fourth official Abdul Hakimy.
It was also football for a fiver with the reduced admission and a large away following helped swell the crowd to 538.
It was a low-key first 45 minutes in which both sides had two clear-cut chances.
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was clean through and blazed over while Adam Barton forced a decent save from Radcliffe keeper Mateusz Hewlet.
Radcliffe’s Brad Roscoe – once of Hyde United – glanced a header against the upright and Jordan Hulme brought a good stop from Bobby Jones.
Curzon made the breakthrough in the 57th minute through super-sub Alex Curran who hadn’t been on the field for two minutes.
A high ball was played up to James Spencer and it fell invitingly for Curran to smash home a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box, a strike worthy of winning any match.
Curran had been taking out of the firing line to be given a breather due to the minutes he has played since his January move from Macclesfield FC.
Stefan Mols had three great chances to increase the lead as he was clean through only to be denied by Roscoe’s last-ditch challenge, one was ruled out for offside and then poked an effort into the side netting.
Curran’s super strike looked to be the winner until Scott Duxbury equalised in the 86th minute.
Mahon conceded a free kick – he later apologised to his team-mates – and Tom Walker’s delivery to the far post was headed home by left back Duxbury as visiting fans chanted they were staying up which looks almost certain after the improvement in form and results since Christmas.
Curzon had a last-minute chance to snatch all three points, but Buckley-Ricketts’ near-post effort was blocked.