Match Report

A moment of magic by Dave Worrall in the 89th minute earned Trafford the three points, extending their winning streak to six games and moving them up to fifth in the NWCFL Premier Division.

The game was played at a furious pace throughout with no quarter given and both sides totally committed.

As a result there was a lack of creativity although Scott Sephton and Fin Stanyer both saw shots blocked in the opening stages.

Trafford were just on top and took a deserved lead in the 20th minute when Dillon Edmundson was upended on the edge of the Nelson penalty area. Brad Byrne stepped forward to take the resultant free kick and curled an exquisite shot past Chris Thompson and into the top corner.

Hamed Sidibe was seeing plenty of the ball out on the left for the hosts but was rather wasteful with his delivery and in the 28th minute Jacob May headed a free kick just wide as Trafford sought a second goal.

In the 35th minute the home crowd were stunned when Nelson levelled, Sean Ince cracking a magnificent free kick from 30 yards out on the left, over the defensive wall and inside the far post.

Nelson keeper Thompson then produced a superb save to deny Bile Ahmed just before half-time and the teams went in at the interval with the score locked at 1-1.

Trafford manager Tom Baker introduced substitute Dave Worrall for the second half and he made an immediate impact with his composure on the ball and passing ability.

Nevertheless, it was Nelson who should have taken the lead on the hour mark when Max Cane seized upon a weak back header by Jacob May, rounded keeper Beard but then sliced his shot hopelessly wide from just ten yards.

That miss appeared to galvanise the home side and they pushed forward in search of the winner.

Scott Sephton headed just wide, Dave Worrall’s appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears and then substitute Brad Njine saw his shot from just two yards blocked on the line by the under fire Nelson defence.

Then, with time running out and the vociferous home supporters roaring their team forward, Worrall struck.

A long ball was headed clear by Nelson defender Darren Holden under pressure from Ryan Brooke. The mercurial Worrall glanced up to see goalkeeper Thompson off his line and struck a sensational first time volley from fully 40 yards over the stranded keeper and into the top corner.

The home supporters went wild and with the Trafford defence, superbly marshalled once more by skipper Harry Norris, holding out for the additional nine minutes of ‘injury time’ the final whistle signalled yet another outstanding performance and result for Baker’s Boys.