The side return to UniBond first division north action tomorrow with a trip to Lowe's old club, Woodley, who will be confident of putting one over their former manager after dumping FC United out of the league's Challenge Cup on Tuesday.
Curzon's eight-game Cup run, which yielded £49,000 in prize money, has caused them to fall behind in the league, but Lowe is adamant his players are more than capable of making up the ground they've lost on the leaders.
"We've obviously got a fair bit of catching up to do, but I still feel we can get to the play-offs, minimum," he said.
"We went further than we ever dreamed in the Cup and, thanks to that, have put Curzon on the map. But promotion's my big job and now the lads and I can give that target our un- divided attention."
Droylsden counterpart Dave Pace, though, will inevitably have one eye on the Bloods' big Cup clash at Chesterfield next Tuesday when he selects his team at home to Harrogate.
Like Lowe, Pace wants promotion for his Blue Square North battlers.
But, with Droylsden facing a money-spinning third-round trip to Ipswich if they can succeed in toppling the Spireites, the Bloods boss can be expected to rest a number of key players for the visit of the third-placed Yorkshiremen.
Meanwhile, Stalybridge, fifth, aim to get their promotion show back on the road after a three-week break from league duty by winning at Gains- borough, while relegation-threatened Hyde United face a crunch basement battle at Burscough.
Altrincham will seek to bounce back from their crushing home defeat to Rushden by repeating last season's Blue Square Premier victory at Crawley.
The Robins' ailing Cheshire neighbours Northwich also head south, to Eastbourne.
Ashton United, who have signed ex-Altrincham striker Rod Thornley from UniBond premier rivals Witton, have a home Challenge Cup third-round date with Leigh.
Glossop North End will be among five clubs flying the Vodkat League's flag in the FA Vase third round when they take on Winterton Rangers, of the Northern Counties East League, at Surrey Street.
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