Match report by Matt Stephens
Stefan Mols had a goal disallowed in the first half for a handball, only for Tommy Hughes to net the sole goal of the game in the 50th minute to end Curzon’s streak of 3 games unbeaten in the league.
A ‘straight from the training ground’ set-piece routine saw the first chance of the game fall Curzon’s way when Will Hayhurst stood over a free kick on the right flank, before laying it off for Jordan Richards to drive the ball into the box along the ground in the fifth minute.
The ball was deflected just past the right post but the Nash couldn’t capitalise on the subsequent corner and the chance came to nothing.
The high-intensity nature of the game guaranteed that it would not be long before the next big opportunity, although this time it was King’s Lynn’s turn to have a go – Josh Hmami played the ball into the Curzon box but there was nobody to convert it and the ball bobbled out to safety.
Remarkably, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts managed to hit both posts with one effort after Isaac Sinclair played him in behind the defensive line with a sumptuous pass, and was understandably met with groans of disbelief from the Nash fans after 21 minutes.
Richards’ heroics ensured King’s Lynn didn’t take the lead five minutes later, putting his body on the line to block a cross and then the resulting shot off the back of it.
Stefan Mols found the back of the net in the 38th minute by placing the ball expertly past goalkeeper Paul Jones after delicately controlling the ball out of the air with his arm, resulting in the goal being disallowed.
Spencer’s powerful effort struck Finlay Armstrong directly in the face just before half time and a stoppage ensued while the ex-Curzon man was checked for a concussion – the way in which he lost balance and fell was concerning and caused a hush among the crowd in the aftermath.
Thankfully, the full-back rejoined the action moments later and the final action of the half continued.
The half-time whistle concluded a hard-fought but largely unenthralling 45 minutes of goalless football as the sides filtered back inside.
HT 0-0
Tommy Hughes gave King’s Lynn a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute when he closed down Marcus Poscha and stole possession, leaving him one-on-one with Bobby Jones before he placed his shot into the right side of the net.
Alex Curran entered the fray eight minutes later to make his third debut for Curzon after rejoining the Nash from Macclesfield on Thursday.
The visitors came close to doubling their lead with 13 minutes left to play when playmaker Josh Hmami whipped a cross into the box that, similar to the first half, nobody was on the end of and it fizzed out of play.
Despite heaping the pressure on the away side’s goal, Curzon were unable to find an equaliser in the closing stages and were made to accept defeat as the referee blew the final whistle.
FT 0-1
The result has seen the Nash drop to 7th in the table and eight points off the summit with three games in hand, meaning any hopes of automatic promotion will require a streak of victories in the coming weeks.
King’s Lynn, meanwhile, climb above the Nash into 4th place and three points ahead, though they have also played three more games than Craig Mahon’s side.
Curzon will travel to Scunthorpe for their next fixture in the National League North, a side who currently sit second in the division, trailing Chester by a point and have won their last four out of five games, drawing against Chorley – no doubt it will be a tough game and Mahon’s boys will need to bring their A-game.
