Match Report

Curzon finished their season off in style with a great win away to Garswood, it wasn’t the fact that they had won but the way they won the game.  Curzon Reserves this season have in no doubt been the footballing side in the division and on Saturday they provided the Garswood faithful to some fantastic, one-touch, good passing stuff. Although both sides could not win or become runners up in the division, Garswood could finish 3^rd while Curzon needed to the win to move into fourth and stop Garswood & Stalybridge from catching them. 
On a lovely warm day Curzon started the game the better of the two sides and were keeping Danny Cooper the busies of the two keepers so much so that the players from Garswood were having a go with each other as they were finding it difficult keeping hold of the ball for more than two passes.  It looked like that Curzon only needed to get the one goal and then they would go onto win the game but totally against the run off play Kevin Picton capitalised on a mistake at the back to side foot home. The goal was a blow but not enough to dent Curzon’s determination to win this game, which attack they were getting closer, Dane Buller volleying over from 6 yards after a great move which he started then finished.  Jamie Byrne, from a clever pass from Johnny Sarcevic bravely headed home at the back post to draw level and got clattered by Copper in the proceed hurting his next but it was a great goal giving Byrne his 13^th of the season for the reserves.
Not long after Curzon took the lead again it was a cross to the far post which Garswood thought was going out but Buller never gave up, kept the ball in and turned back towards goal only to be brought down inside the box.  Johnny Sarcevic the penalty taker for the side stepped up to give Cooper no chance to score his 31^st goal of the season in only 29 appearances for the team 25 of them coming in the league which might see him as the third highest goal-scorer in the division one.  In the second half Garswood obviously riled about being out footballed stepped their game up with the theme of getting stuck in stronger which was cheered on from their bench each time a strong tackle came in. But Garswood were having their best spell and after 60 minutes they got back on level terms when some lack of concentration allowed a player to drift into the box unmarked to slot home.
Throughout the season Curzon have played some overseas players from the Czech Republic, Russia, Australia, Cyprus and the ever popular Xavier Riedo from Switzerland who was playing his last game for the club before having to return home for work reasons.  Manager Dave Jones had arranged with the rest of the squad that he would take Riedo off at some stage and when he did he would like all the players to clap him off and a show of respect, as for Riedo he was disappointed that he would have to leave but was hoping to score before he left, after running his heart out in central midfield and with 20 minutes left it was decided to replace him with Ryan Burgess, as Burgess warmed up the ball found Buller on the right who whipped in a cross and through a crowd of players Riedo coming in from deep got to the ball first heading home the winner and his first and only goal, after being mobbed he was applauded off by his team mates.
It was a well earned victory for Curzon who finished on 61 points, winning 18 drawing 7 and losing 7, scoring 80 goals and only conceding 46 they now have to wait until all the teams in the division have finished their fixtures to find out where they will actually finish with Pilkington & Crosfields having a chance to overtake them.
May I take this opportunity to thank all our readers and supporters for your support shown to us throughout the season.
Team: (Goal Scorer(s) in bold): Keith Jones (Darren Riddett), Sam Hinchcliffe (Andrea Russo), Ben Richardson, Jordan Gill, Danny Toft, Ben Blease (c), Dane Buller, Xavier Riedo (Ryan Burgess), Johnny Sarcevic, Jamie Byrne, Aiden Derwent.