Images by Oli Biddle
CRAIG Mahon has already made one executive decision after guiding Curzon Ashton to a National League North play-off spot many felt was beyond them.
They will head into their clash at Chorley on Wednesday, April 24 having not trained, that would have been too much.
But do not think they will just savour their surroundings then go home having been knocked out – they are deadly serious in their promotion aim, despite the pressure being off them.
A draw at Bishop’s Stortford on the final day of the regular season saw The Nash finish seventh, meaning a trip to the fourth-placed Lancastrians.
Win that and they head to Brackley Town on Sunday, April 28, win that and they face the winners of the other semi-final – whatever happens, they will be away.
But player-manager Mahon is adamant this is not just a case of looking at what the play-offs are like – Curzon are going for glory.
He said: “We’re not training at all before the Chorley game.
“With the travelling the lads had to do from Bishop’s Stortford, we had to make a decision about whether bringing them in would have a positive or a negative effect.
“We feel making the lads come in on a Tuesday night after a full day’s work to only do a little bit, then travel back, work Wednesday then play the match, it would be better to rest and recover.
“I think a couple of the lads will have to finish work early to get across to Chorley for our meeting time but we know what we need to do, we know what’s in front of us.
“Bishop’s Stortford was tough mentally as we had everything to lose and the event got to us a little bit but I’ve told the lads, ‘There’s no pressure on us at all. You’ve already written your names into the history books.
“’You’ve already done something no-one thought we could do.’”
Curzon being at this elevated level sees them face bigger clubs – Scunthorpe United and Boston United were recently in the Football League.
If matches were decided on attendances, Chorley’s regular four-figure gates dwarf Curzon’s – only once have more than 1,000 people attended.
The league record also does not bode well, 4-0 and 1-0 defeats, but Mahon is looking more at the 2-1 victory in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round.
He added: “Everyone’s ambition has been to hit the play-offs. It was always on our radar but we tried not to talk about it too much.
“It’s all been about enjoying it. If you’re enjoying your football, good results usually follow.
“A club of our size is definitely over-achieving by reaching the play-offs. We deserve to be there but there are some massive clubs in our league. With some of the names in it, we probably shouldn’t be anywhere near where we are.
“But it’s always been Curzon’s motto – we’ve always been the underdog and haven’t been taken too seriously. We’ve used that as motivation and when we turned u and did well, it came as a surprise to some teams.
“But now people know we should be taken seriously, we’ve got to live up to those expectations.
“We’ve got there because we’re good enough. Now we’ve got to believe we can achieve even more.
“And we’re approaching this like a cup game. You can’t go up there and play for a draw, you’ve got to go to win.
“You might as well go out fighting. We want this journey to keep on going. Now it’s a case of ‘How much more do you want?’”
Curzon’s play-off place is the next step in building the club into a much bigger entity, one that regularly competes at the top of the table.
In the short-term, however, it is a chance for players looking to ply their trade at a higher level in the shop window.
And the Irishman can help them as he revealed his second executive decision.
He told The Correspondent: “I think I’ll have to start, even though there have been times when I’ve taken myself out as I felt one of the other lads could offer a bit more.
“Although it’s great with the young lads, sometimes you need an older head to cam people down a bit.
“I’ve won these play-offs before with Altrincham, so I know what needs to be done. Hopefully, my experience and leadership qualities can help the lads – than as I get tired, the fresher lads can come on and do what they need to do.
“You don’t get many big games in your career and as a young player, it’s a chance to showcase what you’re about, what you can do and how you can make that step up.
“When you get a chance like this, you’ve got to make the most of it.”