Curzon Ashton vs Clitheroe

The opening quarter-hour was a cagey affair, with neither side able to carve out a clear-cut chance. Curzon began to assert themselves around the half-hour mark. Alex Curran and Joel Amado both saw efforts kept out by the Clitheroe goalkeeper, and on 35 minutes Curran's shot was deflected into the path of Harvey Hayhurst, whose close-range effort struck the post.

The deadlock was broken three minutes before half-time. Danny Whitehead's ball over the top found Weston, who slotted calmly past the keeper to give the Nash a 1-0 lead at the interval. It was Weston's second goal in three pre-season outings, continuing a strong run of form for the forward.

Manager Adam Barton made a raft of changes after the break, rotating his squad to give minutes to the bench. The disruption to continuity proved costly on 54 minutes when Clitheroe found an equaliser through Gilchrist, who capitalised inside the box to level the scores.

The reshuffle saw Aidan Dowling called into action in the Curzon goal, where he produced several strong saves to keep the scoreline level. At the other end, Hayhurst, Curran and substitute Jordan Richards all had chances to restore the lead, but none found the net.

Tony Weston (Curzon Ashton) — A composed finish for his second goal of pre-season. The forward is building momentum ahead of the new campaign.
Aidan Dowling (Curzon Ashton) — Made several important saves in the second half to keep his side in the game.
Danny Whitehead (Curzon Ashton) — Provided the assist for the opener with a well-weighted ball over the top.

Pre-season friendlies rarely tell the full story of a team's quality, and this was no exception. Curzon's first-half dominance — hitting the post and forcing multiple saves — suggested a wider margin was possible, but wholesale changes at the break disrupted their rhythm. Clitheroe's equaliser came within nine minutes of the restart, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining cohesion through heavy rotation.

This was Curzon Ashton's third pre-season friendly under manager Adam Barton. The Nash are building towards the new Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign, with rotation a clear priority in these early preparations. Next up is a trip to Irlam's Silver Street Stadium on Tuesday 28 July (7:45pm kick-off). For Clitheroe, the draw keeps their own pre-season programme on track, having matched a National League North side for large spells.

A useful workout for both sides. Curzon will be pleased with Weston's continued form and a solid first-half display, but the second-half drop-off — and the failure to convert chances — gives Barton something to work on before the competitive action begins.