NELSON tasted defeat for the third game in a row in this First North Western Trains League cup-tie at Alsager despite creating enough chances to have won comfortably.

Jonathan Irvine gave them the lead after nine minutes with a well-struck shot into the bottom corner of the net, but Alsager hit back on the half hour when Mark Nicklin forced the ball home in a goalmouth scramble to level at 1-1. Craig Whitaker's shot came back off the underside of the bar just before half time with keeper Jon Riley well beaten to deny Nelson a half time lead.

Play became scrappy in the second half but Nelson were punished for their lack of concentration after 71 minutes when they failed to clear a corner and Alsager's centre-forward Gareth Rowe pounced to blast home his side's second goal.

After 38 minutes, Simon Burrows did well to block a point-blank shot, but was powerless to prevent Nicklin from scoring Alsager's third goal from the rebound. Nelson stepped up the pressure in the closing stages and Whitaker chested the ball down before placing a shot coolly past the keeper and into the far corner of the net for Nelson's second goal.

John Bailey's men then hit the inside of a post as they desperately sought the equaliser, but it was all in vain as they bowed out of the cup for another season.

Ramsbottom United's FNWTL Division One away match against Atherton Collieries on Saturday was postponed and will now take place tomorrow (kick-off 7.30pm).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.