PREVIEW: Curzon Ashton v Chester

Curzon Ashton will be looking for a first win in five games when Chester visit the Tameside Stadium on Monday night.

After a magnificent start to the season, in which they were unbeaten in their first four games, the Nash haven’t won since a 3-1 victory over Darlington on 12 August.

They will be looking to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat against Guiseley, when a late goal from Kaine Felix gave the hosts victory at Nethermoor Park.

On home soil so far this term, Mark Bradshaw’s side have thumped Bradford Park Avenue 5-0 on the opening day, beaten Darlington 3-1, lost 1-0 to Kidderminster Harriers and drew 1-1 with Spennymoor Town.

Manager Bradshaw will be without midfielder Rob Evans, who is sidelined for a while with a fractured ankle.

Curzon go into their first match in September sitting 15th in the National League North table, with nine points from their opening eight league matches.

They will be up against a Chester side who sit in the play-off places after a bright start to the campaign under joint-managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson, who helped Salford City gain three promotions in four seasons during their time at the club.

Like Curzon, Chester will be aiming to get a defeat quickly out of their system, after suffering their first defeat of the season at the weekend – 2-1 at Spennymoor.

The Blues led at the break at Brewery Field through Akwasi Asante but, after Danny Livesey’s red card, goals from Andrew Johnson and Glen Taylor in the second half saw Jason Ainsley’s men pick up their first win of the season.

Before that, fifth-placed Chester had recorded three successive wins – 4-1 at home to Hereford, 1-0 at Kidderminster and 4-0 against Gloucester City.

They opened the campaign with three 1-1 draws in their opening four games, with the other match in that sequence resulting in a 2-1 home victory over Farsley Celtic. 

Curzon will be hoping for a better result than the last time Chester were in town, almost 12 months ago, when they went away with a 3-0 victory. But the Nash did fare better in the return fixture at the Swansway Chester Stadium back in January, when a late Oliver Crankshaw goal earned Bradshaw’s side a 1-0 win.

Kick-off at the Tameside Stadium will be at 19:45 BST - why not go along and give it a watch!