Match preview by Leon Higgins 

Saturday’s win at the Tameside stadium against Scarborough brought a welcome return to winning ways with a crucial 3 points.

After last weekend’s results, The Nash know that winning the 3 games in hand over Chester would see them go top of the league despite being 8th and outside the play off places, showing the nature of how tight the league table is.

With Chester and Brackley sitting level at the top with 67 points, Scunthorpe a point behind and Hereford and Chorley 3 and 5 points back, The Nash attentions remain on getting back into the play off places with Kidderminster sat on 60 points and King’s Lynn in the last play off place on 59, a point ahead of Craig Mahon’s side.

Radcliffe on the other hand are at the other end of the table and face a battle of their own with the relegation zone being tight. Tuesday night’s 4-1 victory at home to South Shields marked their first win since beating Chorley 2-0 after loses against Marine and Peterborough Sports followed by a draw with Rushall Olympic. The win on Tuesday lifted The Boro up to 18th, only 2 places above the drop but 6 points clear of Needham Market, in their first season in Step 2 of the National League system in 20 years following being crowned Northern Premier League champions last season.

Head to Head

There have been 59 meetings between the two sides with the first being on the 26th August 1967 in the Manchester League. Of the previous 58 matches The Nash have Won 27 games.
This is the first ever clash at National League North level with their last meeting in September 2018 in the FA Cup with the Nash winning 2-1.

Curzon Ashton

• Last weekend’s win against Scarborough marked the first time the Nash have come from behind to win in the league this season.
• Alex Curran was named in last week’s National League North team of the week
• Stefan Mols has 9 goals away from home this season which is only bettered by Kidderminster’s Ashley Hemmings (10) after his brace on Sunday at Farsley Celtic
•  Only Scunthorpe with 10, have conceded less first half goals than the Nash’s 11.
• Buxton and Spennymoor (30) are the only teams that have scored more goals with midfielders than Curzon’s(29)

Radcliffe

• Right back Brad Johnson has 6 assists in the league this season which is only bettered by Buxton’s Josh Popoola (8) and Chorley’s Adam Blakeman (13) for assists by defenders.
• Ricky Smith has scored the most own goals in the league with 3
• Centre forward Jordan Hulme has 10 yellows and 1 straight red card this season equating to 15 disciplinary points with only Hereford’s Sam Robinson and Buxton’s Kieran Burton with the same record.
• 10 of Radcliffe’s goals have come from defenders which is only bettered by Scarborough’s (12) and Chorley’s (14)
• The Boro have the joint worst record in the league with Kidderminster for points won after falling behind, with 2 points, Leamington are the only other team not to win after falling behind.

Match Information