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Whelan makes mark

Graham Shuttleworth
27/12/2006

Curzon Ashton 2 Nelson 0 - SECOND-HALF goals from debutant Danny Whelan and Nick Allen gave Curzon the points against a side in the relegation zone, without a manager and only able to name one substitute.

The game was almost a continuation of the reverse fixture with Curzon doing most of the attacking, while Nelson were looking to hit the home side on the break, mainly through the pace of David Gray.

There was little for either keeper to do in the first 45 minutes as Danny Sharples attempted to sidefoot beyond Dave Fish, only to put the ball wide of goal, while Allen delayed the chance to have a shot and had the ball taken from him.

The second period had Curzon repeating the previous 45 minutes as they began to virtually set up camp in the Nelson half.

Jim Davies turned an Allen shot away and Whelan saw the keeper use his legs to save another effort before Moore was the next player to be thwarted.

Gray forced Fish to save low to his right, but on 70 minutes, Curzon deservedly took the lead as Whelan marked his debut in the best possible way.

Picking the ball up on the left, he cut inside before unleashing a right-footed shot which Davies had no chance of reaching.

At the other end, Dave Fish was made to turn a shot away for a corner from which Whelan then cleared Gray's header off the line.

Any fears of having to share the points disappeared on 81 minutes after Moore was set free down the left, cutting inside and rolling the ball to Allen who drove home from the edge of the 18-yard area.

The width of a goalpost prevented a third for Curzon when Allen saw his shot beat Davies.

Nelson then had an incredible let-off in the final minute when they were lucky not to concede a third goal.

A pass back to Davies on the angle of the goalline and six-yard box saw the keeper's attempted clearance charged down by Curzon substitute Paul Garvey, only for the ball to go wide of far post.