Bradford (Park Avenue) boss Mark Bower felt his side were unlucky to suffer their fourth league defeat of the season as they fell 2-1 to Curzon Ashton.

The result leaves Avenue with four points from six matches and they stay 19th in the National League North table - two places above the relegation zone and a point off the bottom.

Bower had been eager to avoid another defeat after Avenue’s 6-2 mauling by Gateshead in the FA Cup last week.

“I’m gutted for the lads today, we’ve played well and created a lot of chances,” Bower said of Saturday’s clash at the Tameside Stadium.

“With respect to Curzon Ashton we felt today was a game we could compete in and I felt we did that. We’ve probably had 60% possession in that second half which was pleasing giving recent games where we had surrendered the ball too easy.

“Overall disappointed in the result but the performance was spot on.”

Curzon took the lead in the 10th minute, after a free kick 20 yards out was fired straight at the wall and the ball went out for a corner. It was sent to the far post and headed back across goal and before being fired home.

Avenue had their first chance nine minutes later when a shot from Dylan Motley-Henry was blocked. And Bradford hearts were in mouths when Curzon put the ball in the net in the 25th minute, but it was disallowed for a foul. Ryan Toulson almost put Avenue level soon after, from 20 yards out, but was denied by the keeper.

Avenue’s equaliser finally came just after the half-hour, when a ball from Jordan Windass was headed home by Oli Johnson.

Bradford put their shaky start behind them in the second half, but a shot from Motley-Henry was blocked and Akeel Francis fired over the bar. And despite Avenue having had most of the possession, Jack Mackay put their opponents back in the lead with a header in the 58th minute.

Avenue made three substitutions - Brad Dockerty coming on for Johnson, Luke Rawson for Francis, and Rob Guilfoyle for Lucas Odunston.

Victory sees Curzon stay third, three points behind Brackley Town - with a game in hand - and AFC Fylde, who are top on goal difference.

Avenue face third-bottom Gloucester City, at New Meadow Park on October 9.