WHEN Brian Howarth's son stepped up to take a penalty in Nelson's match with Norton United, he thought he'd struck gold.

After buying a Golden Goal ticket before kick-off, with around £30 at stake if the deadlock was broken on 35 minutes, the Nelson physio waited patiently for the first strike from his seat in the dug-out.

Chances were created and missed, but when Shaun Bursnall was brought down inside the 18-year box by a Norton defender bang on 35 minutes, Brian thought the cash was his.

Up stepped his son, and Nelson penalty-taker, Andy.

But, to Brian's horror, Andy's spot-kick was saved.

The 25-year-old centre forward thumped the ball with his right boot but saw his effort saved by the visiting keeper diving to his right.

"It's bad enough when you've missed a penalty but when I found out my dad had the Golden Goal ticket for 35 minutes, I just wanted the ground to swallow me up," Andy said.

"After I'd missed it I turned round and saw my dad kicking things in the dug-out but it wasn't until after the match I found out why. I just couldn't believe it."

Andy, who went on to score the final goal in Nelson's 3-1 win, added that his 52-year-old dad made a vow of silence for a while after the game.

"He buys a couple of tickets every week and they all have different times printed on them for the first goal to be scored.

"He's never won before but thought he had when I went to take the penalty. He didn't speak to me on the way home."

"It was a bizarre thing to happen and I felt so guilty, but I don't think it will put him off buying more tickets in the future."