Curzon Ashton 1 Bradford Park Avenue 1

AN EQUALISER for Curzon Ashton deep into stoppage time robbed Bradford Park Avenue of a rapid double in Vanarama National League North after Marl Bower's men had beaten the hosts 3-1 on Boxing Day

Jordan Wright, the home side's midfielder who ended Nicky Clee's involvement in the reverse fixture with a horror tackle, continued to live dangerously in the goalless first half.

Wright received only a yellow card for sending Clee to hospital after just 11 minutes at the Horsfall.

He was fortunate to see the same colour card five minutes before the break at the Tameside Stadium as he appeared to lash out at Wayne Brooksby's face after the Avenue winger had nutmegged him.

The visitors had already lost one of their centre-backs to injury after Shane Killock was forced off just before the half-hour mark.

The game had been held up while Killock received treatment midway through the half and although he initially continued, he lasted only minutes before Javan Vidal replaced him.

Curzon almost broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half but substitute Sam Madeley, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, was thwarted by Avenue keeper Steve Drench.

Avenue made the breakthrough just after the hour point when a cross from the right-hand side was met by Oli Johnson and he dispatched a powerful header past home keeper Cameron Mason.

Nash striker Niall Cummins, who had seen a shot just before the break deflected agonisingly wide, was guilty of a bad miss ten minutes from time. Cummins was lurking near the back post as a corner was delivered but he volleyed wide.

Into the fourth and last minute of added time, Avenue were hit by a sucker-punch as they failed to deal with a corner and Madeley headed his first goal for Curzon.