Boro battle back for 2-2 Curzon cup draw
Four days after losing at Curzon Ashton in the league, Boro were held to a 2-2 home draw by the Manchester club in the FA Cup 3rd qualifying round.
The visitors made a flying start, going ahead in the third minute, when Will Hayhurst sent over a low cross from the left, and Tom Peers turned to fire into the bottom left corner.
Boro’s first attack saw Will Thornton flick a back-header towards the keeper from a long-throw into the box from Ash Jackson, then Michael Coulson laid-off to Lewis Maloney, who shot narrowly past the post. Curzon created acoupleofchances,Peershaving a shot blocked by Kieran Weledji, and Boro keeper Joe Cracknell saved at the feet of the onrushing Ryan Hall.
The equaliser came on 19 minutes, when Ryan Watson floated over a free-kick from theright,SimonHeslopheaded on, and Weledji smashed his shot past the keeper, then soon after, Coulson's header from another Watson cross, was deflected wide by Curzon skipper Craig Mahon.
Shortlybeforetheinterval, JoshHancockcurleda20-yard free-kickoverBoro'sfour-man wall, and inches over the bar.
Both sides went close early in the second half, Connor Dimaio fired over for Curzon, and Coulson shot wide for Boro, before Ashton went 2-1 up in the 55th minute.
Hancock played a low ball
into the goalmouth, for the predatory Peers to fire home his second goal of the match.
Boro battled back, with Dom Tear having a volley charged down, then Maloney, in his 50th competitive Boro appearance,hadafiercevolley superbly tipped over by keeperChrisRenshawonthehour.
Coulson was twice hauled downbydefenders,unseenby the referee, before he glanced a header wide from a Simon Heslop cross, but the referee did spot a foul on Coulson, when he raced onto a ball into the box from Tear, and was clipped from behind, before
getting up to drive the spotkickstraightdownthemiddle to make it 2-2 on 64 minutes.
Curzon looked dangerous going forward, and a flowing move involving Hancock, Peers and Hall was ended by Will Thornton's timely tackle on Hall as he raced clear. Boro then conjured up their best move of the game on 72 minutes. Maloney sprayed a great ball out to Dan Bramall on the left, and he surged forward, beat two defenders and curled his shot narrowly wide of the far post.
Soon after, Bramall again shot inches wide, then a
through-ball from Luca Colville sent Weledji through on goal, but keeper Renshaw smothered his shot.
Acomicalmomentsawtwo Curzon players collide after going for the same ball, both fell to the ground, and the ref awarded them a free-kick.
The final 10 minutes were scrappy, but Boro almost grabbed a stoppage-time winner, as Maloney sent over a corner into a crowded goalmouthandBaileyGoodaheaded against the bar.
BORO: Cracknell, Weledji, Jackson, Maloney, Thornton, Gooda, Tear, Watson (Bramall
61), Coulson, Heslop (Glynn 61), Colville
CURZON: Renshaw, Hampson,Poscha,Matthews, Dimaio(Walker80),Hall(Hobson 67), Peers, Hancock, Hayhurst, Mahon, Barton REFEREE: Will Davis GOALS: BORO - Kieran Weledji 19, Michael Coulson 64(pen),CURZON-TomPeers 3, 55
YELLOW CARDS: BORO - Kieran Weledji, CURZON: Devon Matthews
BORO MAN OF MATCH: Kieran Weledji
ATTENDANCE: 1,141 (37 away)