2024 has already brought something new for Curzon Ashton – the feeling of being so high in the table.
Sitting fifth in National League North is a height never before experienced at the Tameside Stadium.
But the rarified atmosphere in which they now sit is only the start for Craig Mahon, who is still the Nash’s interim player-manager.
He has his sights higher, starting with the home tie against Farsley Celtic on Saturday, January 6 as he relies on one of football’s oldest cliches.
And if they are to finish the job, there can be no easing off.
He said: “We’ll just keep going, keep enjoying it and take each game as it comes.
“However, I’ve told the players we need consistency. If we want to do something this season, we need to be consistent – we can’t just turn it on for one game.
“Everyone at the club seems to be of a positive mindset at the moment and that’s what I’m big on, that’s what I want.
“I want it throughout the whole club. We’ll have blips but we’ve got to stay positive. You’ve got to work for wins in National League North, though, we have to earn the right to do that.”
Mahon may talk about consistency but at least one person at Curzon Ashton will have one eye on making the National League, one step from the Football League.
The immediate priority, however, is making it three wins in a row against a Farsley side that defeated them 2-1 less than a month ago.
A repeat of the showing at Southport that earned them a 3-0 New Year’s Day win would go a long way towards achieving that.
But the Irishman knows the mid-table side that scored two injury time goals, in the 94th and 97th minutes, on December 12 cannot be under-estimated.
Mahon added: “As performances go, the one we put in at Southport was up there with one of our best.
“To score three goals, concede none and to play the way we played was the perfect representation of what we put on the pitch.
“We let ourselves down in the game at Farsley but we’ve got to earn the right – Farsley are a good team.”