Curzon Ashton 1 AFC Telford 1 - Report

Niall Cummins' opener for the hosts had left the Bucks trailing at the break following a sluggish first half showing.

But Danny Reynolds hauled the visitors level just before the hour mark when he converted fellow substitute Micah Evans' cross.

The Bucks then had the better chances in an end-to-end finale but could not find a way past home keeper Hakan Burton.

Reynolds and Lucas Dawson were both denied by the Curzon shot-stopper as the visitors found their stride in the second period.

Yet the hosts also had chances, with Telford keeper James Montgomery making one crucial save, while goalscorer Cummins and Paul Ennis wasted chances to win it.

The draw was on balance, perhaps, a fair result, though Bucks boss Rob Smith will have been ruing a first half in which his team simply didn't turn up.

His half-time change, bringing on Reynolds and Evans, changed the game as the visitors attacked with much more poise and purpose.

Smith made two changes from the team which beat Stalybridge in midweek, with Callum Gittings replacing the injured Jack Rea and Sean Williams coming in for Evans, who dropped to a bench which also included summer signing James Hurst.

A shaky start saw the Bucks survive a number of close calls in the early stages. Indeed, they might have been behind inside the opening five minutes had Danny Hall been able to connect with Iain Howard's corner, after being given the freedom of the box by the visiting defence.

Bucks keeper Montgomery was then given the benefit of the doubt by referee Simone Lucas when he appeared to handle outside the box, while Ryan Watson slapped a shot wide as Telford struggled to get to grips with the hosts direct style.

Curzon had conceded 12 goals in their opening four league games but the Bucks forward line of Dave Hibbert, Tom Peers and Josh Wilson found themselves living off scraps. Williams was the first player to bring a save from Hakan Burton with a strike from distance, while Wilson perhaps should have done better with shot hit straight at the keeper from inside the box.

But it was the hosts who were always slicker and quicker and Cummins, after wasting an earlier chance when he headed wide from a good position, duly gave them a deserved lead ten minutes before the break.

Ryan Hall, a constant menace on the right, delivered a cross which the striker volleyed home from six yards out, having ghosted in between Dan Preston and Wayne Samuels.

As poor as Telford had been, they almost went in level at the break as Samuels brought a save from Burton with virtually the last kick of the half, after the ball had broken kindly for him in the box.

Smith left the field with a face like thunder and it came as no surprise to see changes at the break.

Telford's extra purpose was quickly apparent with Hibbert blasting a shot wide, albeit from an offside position, within the opening seconds.

Wilson then saw a shot blocked by Curzon right-back Chris Rowney, while Gianluca Havern fired over from the edge of the box.

There were still nervy moments at the back for Telford and it needed a finely timed tackle from Samuels to deny the excellent Ryan Hall.

The next goal looked crucial and the Bucks grabbed it as the two half-time substitutes combined, Evans crossing for Reynolds to fire home from ten yards out.

Hibbert thought he had put the visitors ahead moments later when he slotted home the rebound after Burton had parried another Reynolds effort, only to be denied by the linesman's flag. With momentum firmly in the visiting side's favour, the home keeper was then forced to push a Dawson piledriver wide of the post.

Sensing the mood, Smith made another attacking change by bringing on Hurst for Williams but it was the hosts who almost reclaimed the lead when Hazeldine saw a shot deflected wide and, from the corner, Montgomery needed sharp reflexes to keep out a Jonathan Hunt header.

At the other end, Evans was close to a superb solo goal but sliced his finish horribly wide from inside the box after beating three defenders with ease. Dawson was then denied by a brilliant Burton save, with the keeper tipping the midfielder's free-kick round the post.

Into the final ten minutes, Ennis and Cummins both wasted glorious chances to put the hosts back ahead when they shot wide when well positioned.

Telford's Reynolds also curled an effort wide from inside the box before being denied once again by Burton.

Curzon (4-4-2): Burton, Rowney, Hunt, Hall D, Guest, Hall R (Gorman 80), Watson (Wright 80) Howard, Hazeldine (Brooke 83) Cummins, Ennis Subs not used: Tomsett, Mason.

Telford (4-3-3) Montgomery, Samuel, Preston, Havern, Campion, Williams (Hurst 68), Dawson, Gittings (Reynolds HT), Peers (Evans HT), Hibbert, Wilson Subs not used: Bailey, Monaghan.