At a wet and wind-swept Tameside Stadium Curzon got off to the ideal start in this derby fixture with a goal after just 50 seconds, and it was the home side who at times displayed some quality football despite the wintry conditions.
Teenager Richard Tait played a ball into the heart of the Mossley defence which they failed to adequately deal with, and as the ball came back in Nick Allen put a challenge in on keeper Ashley Connor, and with Mike Norton up in support the Blues leading goal scorer picked up the loose ball and rolled it into the empty net.
Eddie Stanford drove the ball from inside his own half to set Norton off on another run at goal with Martin Allison and Lee Connor in close attendance, but it was Connor who got there first, 20 yards from goal, to clear the danger.
With 15 minutes gone, and playing into the wind, Mossley had most of the defending to do, but it wasn't only the conditions that presented them with problems but also the way in which their hosts were knocking the ball around with confidence, and it was Stanford once again putting the pressure on them with a ball in from the right to the far post. Norton got his head to the ball knocking back across the goal, and Allen up in support just failed to make contact.
Danny Toronzcak looked to get his side going on 21 minutes with a chipped cross, but David Carnell took possession of the ball easily, but six minutes later Curzon quickly turned defence into attack after Allen took the full force of a Toronzcak shot with the ball finding its way out to Stanford on the left. His run down the wing and cross into the box was turned for a corner by James Riordan.
It was Stanford who took control of the dead ball situation, rolling it back to Alex Mortimer. His cross to the near post was met by the inrushing Norton who had left his marker to turn the ball home from four yards to double his sides lead.
Probably the best chance of the half that the Lilywhites had came on the half-hour mark when Paul Quinn played a free kick from the right which was met by the head of Jamie Miller, but his effort went well over the top.
Norton completed his hat-trick, giving Curzon an almost unassailable lead, five minutes before the interval, when a Tait free kick was cleared only as far as Mortimer. This time the defender aimed for the far post and Norton rose above the defence to head the ball over the outstretched hands of Connor.
Mossley certainly started the second period in a positive mood and they were unfortunate not to have made more of an opportunity on 57 minutes after Carnell came for a ball which he didn't get to and the strike on goal struck a defender and went out for the corner. From the kick Mossley reduced the deficit as the home defence couldn't clear their lines and Toronzcak was on hand to steer the ball home from 10 yards out.
Two minutes later and a goal kick by Connor took one bounce and over the head of Allen to Toronzcak but his shot went straight into the hands of Carnell.
The three goal advantage was restored on 78 minutes as the ball bounced around just outside the Mossley 18 yard area. With defenders and forwards vying for possession, Chris Curley took it upon himself to take control, bring the ball down on his chest and setting himself up for a run at goal, and with only Connor to beat made no mistake from inside the area.
Allison was only a coat of paint away from getting the difference back to just the two goals on 88 minutes when he had a shot from the angle on the right. With Carnell no more than an admirer of the shot, the bal struck the keepers top right hand corner and bounced to safety.
Substitute Dougie Pringle should have made it five for Curzon in the dying seconds of the game when he was through on goal. Having virtually gone round Connor all that needed to be done was to tap the ball home but, having delayed his shot, he presented Connor with the opportunity to knock the ball off his toes and concede yet another corner.

Curzon Ashton welcomed back James Ogoo who has been absent since a pre-season fixture against Sheffield with a knee injury.
Having had a couple of run outs with the second team the midfielder came on at half-time for the injured Adam Jones who received an ankle knock against Mossley.
Curzon are on the road on Saturday when they travel to play sixth placed Ossett Albion and 48 hours later they turn their attention to their one remaining cup competition when they entertain UniBond South opposition in the shape of Nantwich Town. The Dabbers were promoted from the North West Counties sides at the end of last season along with the Tameside outfit.