Winning run ends NELSON'S run of 11 straight league wins came to an end at home to Formby.

But John Bailey's side stay top of North West Counties League Division Two with 52 points from 23 games.

They took a point from this game against their Merseyside rivals despite a below-par performance.

The Blues struggled to find their form in a first half when their reshuffled side showed only brief flashes of their promotion form.

The Squirrels always made life difficult for the Blues in midfield where they were particularly strong and it was only after John Bailey brought on his substitutes that Nelson began to dominate the game.

Kiko Rodriguez should have scored when he found himself unmarked at the far post on 69 minutes, but his deliberate sidefoot shot went harmlessly across the face of goal.

Mark Robinson almost broke the deadlock with a cross that bounced on top of the Formby crossbar as the Blues piled on the pressure and Dave Leigh saw his piledriver blocked by defenders in the visitors' penalty area. Carl Howarth came closest to snatching the points in the last minute of the game when he beat several defenders before shooting against the outside of the post from 10 yards.

Nelson must travel to strugglers Bootle in a Division Two clash on Saturday.

With just 13 games of the season still left to play, Bailey's side look good bets for promotion, which will be no surprise to many who tipped them for the title way back in August.

The North West Counties League Division Two game between Colne and Bootle at Colne last night was postponed.