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Ready for battle

9/ 4/2008

CURZON Ashton boss Gary Lowe admitted his players may have to do things the hard way if they are to lift the UniBond League Division North title.

With only five games of the regular season remaining, Lowe has four players suspended in the shape of Rhodri Giggs, James Ogoo, Chris Worsley and Andy Watson.

Those suspensions range from two games to five games with Curzon facing two of the division’s high-flyers in their final matches.

Once they play Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday, Bamber Bridge – who were fourth in the table as the Advertiser went to press – are their next opponents.

Clitheroe and Newcastle Blue Star follow before a potentially title-deciding game on the final day of the season when Curzon travel to Skelmersdale United.

Curzon’s hopes of lifting the title were given a boost on Monday evening when Bradford Park Avenue and FC United played out a goalless draw, leaving the former three points adrift of Lowe’s side with a game in hand.

Lowe said: "When we play Bamber Bridge, James will be banned for three games, Giggs has a five-game ban, while Andy and Chris have got two-game suspensions.

"It’s going to be tough but we’re aware of how tough it’s going to be. One thing is that the players are very strong-willed, while there’s also a great desire and will to win among the group of players. We’ll remain confident because it’s the others who are under pressure. Nobody can overtake us at the top at the moment."

Curzon did their promotion hopes no end of good last weekend by defeating Bradford Park Avenue 2-0 at the Tameside Stadium.

While three points are the important thing at this stage of the season, what also pleased Lowe was the manner in which victory was achieved.

So much so in fact that the players were given the week off to recharge their batteries ahead of the run-in, allowing Lowe to make a dash for the airport and have a few days away in Spain.

He said: "It was a terrific performance, something that we needed. We had to win to keep everything bubbling along and we did that. While it’s all about winning, we did play well which is a bonus because if you do that, it breeds a bit more confidence than it would if you were scrapping it out. We could have had four or five to be fair.

"We have a chance to go up. When you think that we lost three games on the bounce a while ago, it’s been a terrific achievment by the players.