Curzon taste fourth consecutive league defeat

National League North: Curzon Ashton 0-4 Brackley Town

Curzon Ashton’s dismal run of form continued as Brackley Town swept them aside at Tameside Stadium to inflict a sixth defeat in their last seven games.

James Armson got the ball rolling for the visitors when he knocked them in front after only six minutes and although Curzon dominated possession in the first half, they never seriously troubled the Brackley defence.

Last season’s play-off semi-finalists then put the game beyond the Nash with two quickfire goals in the second half from Thierry Audel and Shane Byrne before Lee Ndlovu sealed a convincing win late on.

The sole positive result picked up by in this seven game run was a 1-1 draw with Spennymoor Town and following an afternoon where the final scoreline did not flatter Brackley Town, it gives the coaching staff plenty to think about ahead of next week’s FA Cup qualifying tie against Blyth Spartans.

Luke Merrill and the injured Danny Shaw dropped out from the team which started against Alfreton Town last week. Mo Ali – back from international joy and heartbreak with Somalia – was immediately restated with Luke Wall also coming into the starting XI.

The Nash started brightly with Wall having an early sighter well held by Brackley ‘keeper Danny Lewis, but that early confidence was shattered when Luke Fairlamb’s cross was poked home from close range by Armson.

The Saints were content then to sit back and soak up Curzon pressure before hitting on the break and they nearly doubled their lead from one such break when Byrne ran unchallenged almost the length of the pitch before shooting wide.

Brackley centre backs Gareth Dean and Audel were having a comfortable afternoon and the latter made it even more so when he headed in Matt Lowe’s cross just after the hour mark.

The three points were sealed a few minutes later with the best goal of the game as Byrne swept in an unstoppable curling effort from the edge of the box into the top corner.

The Nash were a demoralised unit by this point and the introduction of new loanee Trickett-Smith couldn’t stem the tide with Brackley looking like scoring every time they venture forward.

And score they did when Glen Walker broke quickly from a Curzon corner and played in Ndlovu. He dipped past Andy Halls and steered his shot into the far corner beyond the fingertips of a helpless Cam Mason.

Curzon: Mason, Halls, Ali, Regan, Askew, Wroe, Davies, Wall, Sinclair, Banister, Saunders (Trickett-Smith, 55).

Subs not used: McCoy, Merrill, Elstone, Thornley.

Brackley: Lewis, Myles, Franklin, Byrne, Audel, Dean, Lowe (Holman, 81), Armson (Baker, 79), Ndlovu (Daire, 81), Fairlamb, Walker.

Subs not used: Langmead, Warby.

By Sam Hendry

Pictures by @Biddleofnowhere