Colne 1 Curzon Ashton 3

Colne put in a convincing performance against NPL Premier side Curzon Ashton at Holt House on Saturday. The Reds worked hard to match their opponents throughout the game and can take positives from the result against a strong visiting outfit.

Colne started strongly and built some good attacks with Ben Horne supplying inviting crosses into the visitors’ area and Dan Ajidagba unsettling the Curzon defence with some penetrating runs. But after 15 minutes, it was Curzon who took the lead with a 20 yard diagonal shot into the far corner of the Colne net. And two minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead when a cross from the right was headed in at the far post.

Colne looked for a quick reply and Horne’s cross from the left was half cleared to Joe Pennington but again his cross was headed clear by the Curzon defence under pressure. And with the Reds looking to attack at every opportunity, Ajidagba closed down the keeper as he tried to kick the ball clear and it spun into the net to reduce the arrears to 2-1 after 25 minutes.

Curzon pushed forward strongly but the Colne defence looked solid and held firm under pressure. And as half time approached the Reds came close to an equaliser when Ajidagba cut in from the right wing and saw his shot deflected just past the far post of the visitors’ goal.

The action continued in the second half with Ajidagba seeing his shot saved by the keeper’s legs after 67 minutes and Curzon hitting the post of the Colne goal three minutes later. And the visitors went 3-1 in front with a rising shot from the edge of the area into the top corner of the net after 73 minutes.

Colne pushed forward in the closing stages with Ajidagba and Luke Stowe creating half chances in the visitors’ area but in an end-to-end finale neither side added to the scoreline in an entertaining closely fought contest.