Curzon Ashton Vs AFC Telford

After back-to-back postponements, the Bucks will be hoping to return to action this weekend with a trip to Tameside to face Curzon Ashton.

The Nash first joined Step 2 a decade ago, and they’ve since more than established themselves at this level. After a run of comfortable mid-table finishes, Curzon have been in the promotion picture in each of the last two campaigns, finishing 7th in 2023/24 and 8th last year. It might have been so much more for The Nash last season, who had been in the title mix before a run of three wins in 11 to end the campaign saw them miss out on a playoff place on goal difference alone.

Having impressed last season, manager Craig Mahon headed to AFC Fylde in the summer, with Mark Bradshaw appointed as the new boss. Bradshaw has a 20-year affiliation with the Tamesiders and, in fact, served as manager for the 2019/20 season.

After a slightly stodgy start to the season, Bradshaw’s sides found their feet in October, recording four wins from five to see them leap up the table. The Nash have done enough since to maintain their place in the pack chasing the playoff places too, although a run of one win and three defeats in their last four games sees them two points and two places outside the playoffs in 9th.

Curzon lost a number of key players in the summer, including keeper Bobby Jones (Boston United), winger Isaac Sinclair (Accrington Stanley), dangerous attacker Isaac Buckley-Ricketts (Macclesfield) and goalscoring midfielder Stefan Mols (Tamworth). But the Tamesiders continue to be a solid Step 2 outfit, with new arrivals keeper Callum Hawkins (Leamington) and forward Brad Holmes (Marine) among those who have impressed for The Nash this season. Holmes is Curzon’s top scorer with 11 goals in all competitions, while midfielder Alex Curran has 10 strikes to his name.

AFC Telford have won three, drawn five and lost seven of our 15 games against the Tamesiders, and the Bucks haven’t won on any of their seven visits to the Tameside Stadium, losing five and drawing two. Kevin Wilkin’s men dominated for a good portion of August’s fixture at the SEAH Stadium before Ben Darby looked to have given Curzon a late victory. However, an even later equaliser from Orrin Pendley saw the game end in a 1-1 draw.

The Bucks’ nine-game unbeaten run ended at Kidderminster last time out, but that good run has seen Wilkin’s men climb away from danger. While the Bucks are currently 15th, Wilkin’s men are only four points off the playoff places, and a win on Saturday would see the Bucks leapfrog Curzon in the table.