A good crowd of 206 turned out to watch the two sides battle it out for different reasons, Curzon to stay top and keep the pressure on AFC Fylde and Woodley pushing for a play-off spot.

Curzon got off to a flying start when after only 10 minutes on the clock Curzon were two up and looking like they were going to run away with the game. Kristian Dennis got the first on 4 minutes following a free kick from the left which found Graham Kay at the back post, he headed the ball down and as it dropped Dennis was the quickest to react and put it past the stranded keeper Ashley Firth. 4 minutes later Matthew Purcell broke down the right and delivered a cross which from 12 yards, Dennis loops a header over Firth into far corner of the goal.

Curzon were looking dangerous every time they went forward and this time Dennis started the break which saw Purcell play in Chris McDonagh who hit his 1st time effort just over the crossbar. But Woodley were not in the mood to lie down and they attacked Curzon through midfield, they had showed their intent with a strike on 6 minutes from Chris Rowney which struck the Curzon's crossbar from just outside the box and on 22 minutes they got a goal back with a superb bullet header from Aaron Chalmers, unmarked at a corner Chalmers rose at the back post from 15 yards out and gave Curzon' keeper Josh Ollerenshaw no chance as his header flew into the top right hand corner. Woodley's John Marsden headed just over from another dead ball kick as they searched for the equaliser but Curzon were still looking dangerous themselves each time they went forward, Brian Summersgill played in Matthew Kay on the half an hour mark but his effort was hit with no conviction and Firth saved comfortable. Shortly afterwards Purcell was sharp and caught Woodley's defence sleeping with a quickly taken free kick to play in McDonagh but he could only direct his shot into the side netting.

Just before half time both sides had a chance, a mix up between Firth and Chalmers allowed Dennis a chance but his shot was blocked then Woodley's captain Raphale Evans had a strong header easily held by Ollerenshaw.

In the second half Curzon started the strongest with Summersgill having a good effort from 18 yards out well saved by Firth before McDonagh held the ball up well inside the Woodley's box before playing in Dennis, but good defending by Woodley saw His shot well blocked, the ball was kept alive by Curzon's Samuel Walker who played in Matthew Kay but again Firth was down well to smother his shot.

Both sides were contributing to a good attacking game, with Woodley opting to work the ball through midfield and Curzon opting for the long ball forward but it was Curzon who were creating the better chances.

On 74 minutes Curzon's captain Graham Kay heads goal-bound from the edge of the box from a resulting free kick but it doesn't trouble Firth but straight down to the other end Woodley had Curzon defending desperately after Ollerenshaw saw his punched clearance hit his own defender and drop inside the box which Curzon had to hack away to safety, minutes later Woodley had another opportunity to equalise when they got into Curzon's box but just couldn't find the killer touch.

As the game went into the final minutes it looked like Curzon would hold onto their slender lead but it took a great defensive header from fullback Simon Woodford to deny Woodley from earning a point.

This was in the end, a good win for Curzon who have been beaten twice this season by Woodley and should give Curzon the confidence to go into the last 7 games of the season with the belief that they can finally win the Evo-Stik Division One North title.

Match Report by Dave Jones