Curzon Ashton 0 AFC Fylde 2: Early strikes send Coasters back to top

Everyone knew their jobs for this clash with the Nash and the Coasters scored twice in the opening four minutes.

The scorers were the same as in Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of Leamington as Nick Haughton added to his four from that game and Luke Conlan registered another early strike.

For this game in hand boss Adam Murray made one change, Dan Pike replacing Connor Barrett.

Full-back Conlan, a scorer after 50 seconds at the weekend, set up the opener inside two minutes as he collected a beautiful Danny Whitehead pass and picked out Haughton, who curled his 25th goal of the season into the bottom corner.

Conlan was soon on the scoresheet himself, finding the right corner with a first-time shot after Danny Philliskirk seized on an error by Curzon's Devon Matthews.

The Ashton-under-Lyne side, unbeaten in 10 games and targeting the play-offs, looked to respond but Ryan Hall could only find the hands of keeper Chris Neal with his shot from the left. Haughton scented a second but his effort was saved by Josh Ollerenshaw after Joe Rowley's quick break from a Curzon corner.

The hosts threatened to pull one back before half-time but Will Hayhurst's free-kick landed on the roof of the net, then Craig Mahon took aim for the bottom left corner but Neal did well to push the shot away.

Curzon started the second half brightly as Neal clutched a volley by Fleetwood Town loanee Dylan Boyle.

The rest of the game brought few chances, home substitute Finlay Armstrong's effort drifting wide from a James Spencer flick. Luke Charman hit the side-netting for Fylde and Neal made an outstanding late save from another Boyle volley.

A third straight win lifts Fylde two points clear ahead of Saturday's conclusion to the title race, when they visit relegation battlers Bradford Park Avenue and second-placed King's Lynn Town host Curzon.

Curzon: Ollerenshaw, Poscha, Matthews, Boyle, Hall (Richards 44), Peers ( Armstrong 46), Hayhurst (Hancock 60), Waring, Spencer, Mahon, Barton; Not used: Hogan, Edmundson

Fylde: Neal, Obi, Davis, Whitmore, Conlan, Pike ( Barrett 83), Philliskirk (Hatfield 78), Whitehead, Rowley (Ligendza 78), Haughton, Charman; Not used: Cybulski, Delfouneso.