The centre-back put in a stellar display against the leaders despite being ill

Defender Curtis Nelson played through illness in MK Dons’ ten-man win over Bromley on Saturday.

The ex-Derby County man fell ill overnight in the lead up to the top-of-the-table, and appeared to be sick on the field early in the second-half. Battling on, Nelson helped Dons to claim a 2-1 win, with a backs-to-the-wall performance in the final 22 minutes after Jon Mellish’s sending off.

Both boss Paul Warne and goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray heaped praise on the defender for his dogged determination to stay on the field and help the team to what could be a vital three points at Stadium MK.

“Nels has been ill all day, throwing up,” Warne said. “The fact he’s played 90 minutes was fundamental to our success. Without him marshalling our other two centre-halves we could have been in real trouble.”

MacGillivray added: “He kept it really quiet. We got here this morning and he was having a sleep in the corner because he’s under the weather.

“I think he was sick this morning, and when he went to get the ball in the second-half, he felt he was going to be sick again.

“For him to carry on, to play 95 minutes, he’s not eaten anything and just about keeping water down, fair play to him.”