Darlington manager hails 'outstanding' Sunderland loanee Andrew Nelson after debut brace

On-loan Sunderland striker Andrew Nelson made an instant impact for Darlington, scoring twice in their 3-2 defeat at Chorley.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Dec 2018, 11:27 BST
Updated 16th Dec 2018, 11:33 BST
Sunderland striker Andrew Nelson.Sunderland striker Andrew Nelson.
Sunderland striker Andrew Nelson.

The 21-year-old joined the Quakers on a short-term 28-day loan last week, with Nelson expected to go out on loan to a club higher up the footballing pyramid in January.

Nelson started at Chorley and scored twice at Victory Park but it wasn't enough to prevent Darlington slipping to defeat.

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Despite the defeat, Darlington boss Tommy Wright was full of praise for Nelson, who won the supporters' man of the match award.

"You can see what Andrew Nelson is going to bring to us. I thought he was outstanding," reflected Wright.

"It’s a skill and it shows the lad’s confidence. He hasn’t played much football at all, that’s his second 90 minutes in three months.

"He’s looking sharp, we knew that on Thursday and he’s took that sharpness into the game."

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"I’m delighted we got him in the first place but that he’s made such an impact from the start," Wright told the club website.

Nelson has teamed up with Sunderland teammate Williams Kokolo at Darlington, the versatile 18-year-old having joined on loan earlier this month.

The loan spell at Darlington will be a good opportunity for Nelson to build-up his match fitness and get some competitive first team action under his belt following a lengthy spell out injured this season.

Nelson, it is understood, is in line to leave on a longer term loan deal in January, with a host of clubs keeping close tabs on him.

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The Echo understands there is interest in Nelson from clubs in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship plus clubs in League One and Two in the football league in England.

The Sunderland coaching staff are conscious of getting the striker further game time given his long term injury suffered in pre-season.

In November, Jack Ross admitted Nelson's injury meant he missed out on a chance to make his first team breakthrough.

The 21-year-old began pre-season in the first team set up but picked up a foot injury that Ross says the medical staff 'had never seen before'.

Related topics:Tommy WrightChorleyDarlingtonSunderland