Report: Curzon Ashton 3 Hednesford Town 2

The home side started on the front foot and after Niall Cummins fired wide in the third minute, Hednesford goalkeeper Dan Crane made a fine save from Ryan Brooke five minutes later.

Hednesford's first chance arrived in the 12th minute as Stephane Ngamvoulou drove forward before playing a one-two, with Danny Glover but the midfielder swept his shot wide.

Back came the home side and, two minutes later, Cummins found himself through on Crane but the goalkeeper stood tall to block his effort before Brooke missed another good chance for Curzon.

This saw manager Frank Sinclair make a switch, Adam Thomas coming off the bench to replace Francino Francis.

The Pitmen found the net in the 31st minute through Glover, but the striker was deemed to have fouled home goalkeeper Cameron Mason.

Three minutes before the half-time whistle, Glover went close again. Jonathan Royle was fouled 25 yards out and Glover's dead-ball effort struck the post.

After a goalless first period, it took just three minutes for the home side to open the scoring when Jordan Wright fired home from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Curzon doubled their lead as Brooke got in behind the Hednesford defence and found the net by chipping the advancing Crane.

It almost got worse for Town, as Brooke burst through but his effort was saved by Crane with the rebound going over the bar.

The Pitmen found a way back into the game in the 69th minute, as Paul Ennis spotted Mason off his line and from some 35 yards out sent a delightful chip over the goalkeeper and into the goal.

Two minutes later Sinclair's side were level, as Royle headed home from a Sean Williams corner for his first goal in Pitmen colours.

Hednesford now sensed they could go on and win the game and Thomas saw his shot stopped on the line by Mason, before the goalkeeper denied Ennis after he had been picked out by Glover in the 83rd minute.

But a minute later Town conceded the winner. The ball found its way to Joe Guest and he buried his effort from just inside the box into the far corner of the net.

While it was the last of the scoring, the home side were lucky to end the game with 11 men, as Mason kicked out at Glover as the striker closed him down. It went unnoticed by the match officials.