Moors were forced to settle for a fourth successive home draw as Curzon Ashton produced a spirited performance at The Brewery Field on Tuesday evening.

The visitors were more than worth the point they took back to Greater Manchester and could arguably have left with all three on a night when Moors rarely found top gear.

Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley handed Jordan Preston his first start of the season, but he didn’t see enough of the ball as Moors turned in perhaps their most sluggish display of the campaign.

There was a high tempo start to the game as The Nash made it clear from the off that they hadn’t turned up to simply make up the numbers, Ryan Hall flashed a shot over the bar from distance as they settled into their stride.

Hall then darted into space on the right-hand side and to deliver a dangerous ball across the edge of the six-yard boss which Joe Tait did well to deflect past the far post as he faced his own goal.

The first chance for Moors arrived just after the half hour when some neat football gave Jordan Thewlis the chance to wriggle into the penalty area on the right, but his firm drive flew into the side netting.

Curzon Ashton’s skipper Craig Mahon was always a threat coming forward from right-back and he made plenty of ground to find himself on the edge of the area just before the break though his eventual shot was charged down.

Moors brought on Michael Ledger for his home debut at the break as he replaced Scott Duxbury at left-back and the team did make a more determined start to the second half.

There was almost reward for their greater energy as Thewlis scampered in behind the visiting defence only for keeper Chris Renshaw to dart brilliantly from his line to smother and Preston saw his effort from the follow-up flash agonizingly wide.

At the other end, Max Metcalfe was forced into a big save when he flung himself up to the top corner to parry a ferocious drive from Hall after a menacing counterattack from The Nash.

James Curtis nodded a deep corner wide at the far post before Hall again got a sight on goal for the visitors on the break, but this time he dragged a low effort just wide of Metcalfe’s post.

The visiting side continued to look the more likely to snatch all three points as time ebbed away and substitute Craig Hobson almost nodded home in injury time after more good work from Mahon as the contest ended all-square.

Full Time: Moors 0 Curzon Ashton 0

Moors: Metcalfe, Cousin-Dawson, Tait, Curtis, Duxbury (Ledger 46), Wheatley, Ramshaw, Preston (Greenfield 63), Oyibo (Watt 63), Thewlis, Taylor.
Subs not used: Cummings, Payne.

Booked: Taylor (43)

Curzon Ashton: Renshaw, Hampson, Poscha, Matthews, Hall, Walker (Dimaio 65), Peers (Hobson 87), Hancock, Hayhurst (Waring 82), Mahon, Barton.
Subs not used: Richards, Lowe.

Booked: Barton (35), Dimaio (65)

Referee: Helen Conley

Attendance: 1,201