NELSON paid the price for some poor defending against Squires Gate despite looking the better side for long periods of this NWCL Division Two game at School Road.

The Blues were caught cold when Alec Rawson put Squires Gate ahead with a shot in off the post after only five minutes.

Nelson's lively attack created a series of chances without finding the net until Barry White fired in the equaliser just four minutes into the second half.

Just when it looked as if Nelson were in the driving seat they allowed Alec Rawson to score his second goal for the home club by failing to clear their lines in a seemingly harmless goalmouth incident after 55 minutes.

The goal seemed to dent the Blues' confidence and worse was to come when the Nelson defence again got in a tangle after 81 minutes and presented Scott Sugden with a simple chance to score his side's third goal.

The Nelson attack however, never gave up trying and deep into injury time Andy Howarth floated in a free kick for Nigel Coates to head home and give a more respectable look to the scoreline.

RESULT: SQUIRES GATE...3 NELSON...2