CURZON ASHTON FC
MATCH REPORTS & STATISTICS
Saturday 19 April 2008
Opponents   Clitheroe
Venue   The Tameside Stadium
Competition   League Game
Kick-off   3.00pm
Attendance   148
Half-Time Score   2-1
Full-Time Score   2-2
Team Line-ups (Scorers in Bold)
Curzon Ashton FC 2 - 2 Clitheroe
Carnell David   1   Mann James
Birch David   2   Koslowski Adam
Mortimer Alex   3   Redhead Scott
Riley Paul   4   Clarke Russ
Mitten Josh   5   Smith Jonathan
Byrne Jamie   6   Osborne Paul
Giggs Rhodri   7   Hankin Dave
Worsley Chris 1 8   Stopforth Gary
Norton Michael 1 9   Lomax Carl
Gazapo Jorge   10 1 Johnson Anthony
Allen Nick   11   Sargeson Craig
Substitutes
Stanford Edward   12   Pilkington Joel
Ball Chris   14   Flannery Ian
Sarcevic Jonathan   15 1 Toronczak Danny

Match Report

At a wind-swept Tameside Stadium Curzon twice took the lead but had to be content with a share of the spoils.
The football wasn't great, mainly due to the swirling wind which either took the ball away from the players or virtually blew it straight back at them, and no doubt with the league title finely balanced, nerves would have played a major part, at least for the home side.
The first opportunity on goal came in the 11th minute when Mike Norton gave chase to a through ball. With keeper James Mann racing off his line Norton was forced to go wide, and pulled the ball back from the bye-line to the incoming Rhodri Giggs, but his shot was well over the top from 18 yards.
The early pressure from Curzon paid off on 17 minutes when a ball in from the right was met by Chris Worsley, with his shot striking the underside of the bar before bouncing down over the line and into the roof of the net, but the lead lasted only two minutes.
Having conceded a free kick wide on the left the Tameside outfit then failed to deal with the ball into the area which was knocked down by Jonathan Smith to the feet of Anthony Johnson who drove home from  eight yards out.
Norton restored Curzon's lead on 34 minutes after Jorge Gazapo had created space for himself before feeding his team mate. With Mann once again trying to close down his space the front man this time slid the ball across the keeper and into the net.
Norton was only inches away from scoring his second and his sides third goal when a cross from Nick Allen to the far post had Mann struggling, and a desperate lunge at the ball by Norton just failed to make contact.
Former Mossley player Danny Toronczak was brought into the action just after the hour mark, and like the reverse game, his introduction brought positive results for his side, as Curzon failed to adequately clear their lines, and with the ball played to Toronczak he drove it across Carnell and into the bottom corner of the net.

It's a tight affair at the top of the UniBond North Division One with only two points separating the top three, with Curzon Ashton in second place, just one point behind leaders Bradford (Park Avenue).
If Curzon don't win the league title as we go into the final week of the season, they are now all but certain to play their semi-final play-off position at home, a game which will take place on Monday 28 April. KO 7.45.
Secretary Graham Shuttleworth said "With the play-offs coming so quickly after the end of the league games it's all something of a rush, and if we're involved we may not even know who we play until Saturday evening.
"If we finish second, then we play the fifth placed team, while the third placed team will also have home advantage in their game.
"With all the up's and down's during the run-in, anything could happen before Saturday so all we could ask those who want to see the game, if we don't go up automatically of course, is either to check for details on our website or to make contact with the club on Sunday or Monday. There'll at least be a message on the answer machine if they don't get to speak to anyone.
"We've also got the learning disability international challenge match between England and Holland on Sunday so it could all be a little fraught at the weekend."
The club phone number is (0161) 300 6033 and the website address is www.curzon-ashton.co.uk