IT may be a weekend off for Nelson but there's no rest for manager John Bailey.

The Blues boss would have been spotted at Colne against Ramsbottom last night if the game had gone ahead, will be at Bacup against Castleton tonight and will make the short trip to Padiham tomorrow to watch their clash with NWCL Division Two leaders Stone Dominoes.

"It's because I haven't got a life," joked Bailey, who is in his third season in charge at Victoria Park, but has hung up his striking boots this season to concentrate on the management side.

"No, I enjoy watching other sides in our league, just to keep track of them and see if they have any new players since we last played them."

The Blues, who narrowly missed out on promotion last season, had a great start to this term with three wins, went through a 'bad patch' but have emerged with a run of seven games without loss. And the addition of well-travelled striker Kiko Rodriguez, the 'super sub', has certainly helped. He has scored three goals in the last three games, since he joined last month.

"He has always scored goals wherever he has been and has a good presence about him," said the Nelson chief. "His addition has helped but we have also tightened up in defence. We've signed goalkeeper Mark Canning from Colne two weeks ago and he's gone straight into the side."

Bailey feels he is finding the right formula and Nelson, currently in seventh spot, will be up there challenging come May.

"I think it is a very open league this season, everybody is beating each other.

"We have only played ten games and I do not think we will see the true reflection until it starts to even out after Christmas. Hopefully we will be contesting league and cup honours at the end of the season."