RAMSBOTTOM couldn't take their NWCL Division One unbeaten record to five games after slipping to defeat against Curzon.

Ramsbottom started the game in their usual slow manner and invited Curzon at them and they didn't need a second invitation, for after 10 minutes they took the lead.

A long through ball down the middle seemed to have been dealt with by Blore, but instead of clearing his lines, he decided to take on the Curzon striker, lost the ball and was made to pay for his

mistake as Colin Heywood hammered the ball into the net via the far post.

Curzon should have doubled their advantage on 15 mins, but defender Porter closed down and unmarked visiting player who had taken too long.

Ramsbottom had nothing to show for the first half, quite simply because they didn't deserve anything and were lucky to be going in at half time only trailing by a single goal.

If the first half belonged to Curzon, then the second half belonged to Ramsbottom as they came out a totally different team.

Both flanks became active and the centre of midfield, non existent in the first half, decided to put some pressure on the opposition.

Ramsbottom equalised when a long clearance from Horridge caused panic along Curzon's back line and as the defender hesitated Carl Lomax nipped in to lob the ball over the advancing keeper. It was his third goal in four games.

But it was during Ramsbottom's best spell of the game that Curzon grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal.

As the home side attacked down the left, the move broke down and Mike Langhorn was caught in posession. Josh Mitton collected a long ball to hit the ball under Horridge in the 70th minute.

Ramsbottom tried in vain to get back on terms but never really had what it required to break down a resilient Curzon rearguard.

RAMSBOTTOM...1 CURZON ASHTON...2

The Rams next game is at home to Congleton tomorrow night ko 7.45