Curzon Ashton 1 Bradford Park Avenue 2

BRADFORD Park Avenue are now just two points from safety in the National League North table after a solid second-half performance saw them through to a narrow but deserved victory at the Tameside Stadium.

Hosts Curzon Ashton were on a four-match unbeaten run and had got on top in the latter stages of the first half. Yet Avenue controlled the second half and had the Nash penned inside their own territory for the majority of it, with keeper Hakan Burton picking up the man of the match award.

There were changes to the Avenue side as Oli Johnson started after his recent return to the club on a permanent basis, while defender Matt Hill was back in the starting line-up following an injury lay-off, but Bradford City loanee Reece Webb-Foster was among the substitutes.

The opening exchanges were fairly even as Burton denied Nicky Wroe and Johnson, while visiting keeper Jon Worsnop also had to be on his toes to make some good saves.

When Avenue broke the deadlock midway through the first half, it was against the run of play, centre back James Knowles converting a Wroe corner with a header into the corner of Burton's net.

Avenue carved out another chance soon after the half-hour mark when Johnson raced forward before threading a pass to Nicky Boshell but the latter player injured himself as he got in a weak shot under pressure.

Just four minutes later, Luke Dean was introduced from the bench as Boshell limped out of the action. The Nash were on terms soon after as Matty Warburton stuck the ball in Worsnop's net. Avenue claimed he was in an offside position but the goal stood.

Avenue were on the end of another contentious decision early in the second half as Danny Boshell went down in the area under a challenge from Luke Clarke but the referee felt the Curzon man's tackle was fair.

The mid-table home side could have taken the lead when Ryan Hall rounded Adam Nowakowski but Hall's shot was straight at Worsnop.

Avenue enjoyed more of the ball after that and created the better chances, with Dean and Wayne Brooksby at the sharp end of most of the attacks.

It was Danny Boshell who fired in the 71st minute winner after great work and a good through-ball from Johnson. The elder of the Boshell brothers, who is assistant manager to Mark Bower, slotted past Burton from inside the area.

Alfreton Town's 2-0 win at Gainsborough Trinity means that AFC Telford United are now the club immediately above Avenue and the drop zone.

Both clubs below Avenue – Stalybridge Celtic and basement outfit Altrincham – slipped up as they lost to Stockport County and FC Halifax Town respectively.