NELSON ended Padiham's unbeaten run in the NWCL Division Two in an enthralling Lancashire derby at Victoria Park.

The Storks, riding high in second place in the league, were under pressure right from the kick off as Nelson dominated the first half.

John Bailey's side played the ball around to create a series of good build-ups which had the visitors on the defensive for long periods.

The Blues' new signing Chris Clark shot wide with only the keeper to beat after 22 minutes and Carl Howarth saw his shot cleared off the goal line, having gone past keeper Kirk Marsden on the half hour.

Nelson finally got their reward in somewhat bizarre fashion after 39 minutes when Clark looked to have been fouled just outside the Padiham penalty area. But as players waited for the whistle, Stuart Mulligan fired in the loose ball from 25 yards to give his side the lead.

In the second half Nelson quickly showed their intentions to finish off the Storks with more attacking play, but Padiham were lethal on the counter-attack.

After 59 minutes John Harrison levelled the scores at 1-1 with a fierce shot that went in off the underside of the Nelson crossbar and Padiham almost took the lead within a minute when Ian Pilkington slipped through the home defence only to see his shot saved by the Nelson keeper's feet.

The cut and thrust continued with Nelson trying desperately to reassert their authority on the first half and again their persistence paid off after 84 minutes.

A pinpoint cross found Carl Howarth in front of goal and his header crept inside the post with the Padiham keeper powerless to keep it out.

Howarth might have stretched their lead further when he raced clear in the closing stages, but he failed to beat the visiting keeper with his lob, and John Harrison almost grabbed a second equaliser for Padiham but saw his goalbound shot headed away from the top corner by the indomitable Ian Lang.

NELSON...2 PADIHAM...1