CURZON ASHTON 0, AFC FYLDE 2
Curzon Ashton’s 10-game unbeaten run, which had catapulted them from obscurity to the edge of the National League North play-off places, came to an end after they were beaten at home by likely champions AFC Fylde.
The Nash, whose promotion hopes were effectively wiped out with only one game still to play, were undone by two goals in the opening four minutes from Nick Haughton, the division’s leading scorer, and Luke Conlan.
“You can’t start any game like that and give away goals to any team, but especially the best one which will probably be champions,” explained Curzon manager Adam Lakeland.
“That five-minute spell cost which is frustrating as I felt we were the better team in the second half.
“I was proud of my players for the way they kept on pushing. We just needed to score to see if that would have affected them.
“We had two or three reasonable chances but didn’t make it happen.”
Fylde became the only team to complete a league double over Curzon who have enjoyed a spectacular climb up the table since the turn of the year when they were battling in the lower reaches of the table.
Little more than 60 seconds had been played when Fylde, who must had had more than half the 621 crowd, made the breakthrough.
Curzon were carved open down left and the ball was played inside to Haughton who applied a deadly finish past stand-in goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw, who has deputising for the unwell Chris Renshaw, for his 25th league goal of the campaign.
Haughton had scored four goals three days earlier in a 5-1 victory over Leamington.
That was quickly followed by another sublime finish, this time from Conlan, his second goal in as many games.
It looked as though it might me a long night for Curzon whose faint play-off hopes had already seemingly ebbed away.
Curzon, to their credit, steadied the ship and came back strongly as Will Hayhurst’s free kick struck the crossbar and Craig Mahon’s effort was shovelled to safety by goalkeeper Chris Neal.
It was a similar story in the second period as Finlay Armstrong and Dylan Boyke forced important saves from Neal.
This was Fylde’s game in hand which they won to claim top spot. If they win at Bradford Park Avenue, who are all but down, on Saturday they will be champions.
Curzon’s final game is at Kings Lynn Town who were top until tonight and whose route to promotion will now most likely be through the play-offs.
Lakeland’s side could still technically make the play-offs, but it would take a freak set of results on Saturday.