SCARBOROUGH bounced back to winning ways in the Nationwide Conference with a 2-1 victory at Nuneaton Borough.

Gareth Williams, returning to the side in a striking role scored twice in five minutes after Terry Angus had headed Nun-eaton into the lead just after the break.

Williams has been missing since February with a knee injury, but showed no ill-effects to turn and steer the ball past Chris McKenzie for his first goal and his second was a deft touch to a driven cross shot from Jamie Burt.

Burt was later denied by McKenzie when the striker's pace took him clear of two defenders and with Williams prompting well, the attack had a more balanced look about it.

The highlight of the first half was a brilliant goal-line clearance by Danny Brunton to deny Lee Charles. Brunton has turned this aspect of the game into a speciality and his overall defending was of the highest quality.

However, that could not be said of his colleagues when Angus took advantage of a short corner routine to open the scoring, but the big centre-back was soon to leave the game after an horrendous clash of heads with Scarborough goalkeeper Andy Woods.

Woods later had three stitches inserted in his eyebrow but carried on playing with a blood-splattered bandage which, combined with his yellow top, gave him the look of Pudsey Bear. The injury made Woods a major doubt for today's home game with Boston United.

The other blot on Boro's performance was the 89th-minute dismissal of midfielder Jason Blunt for a second bookable offence.

Scarborough: Woods; Atkinson, Rennison, Faure, Ellender, Brunton; Stoker, Blunt, Pounder; Williams, Burt (Diallo 90)

Nuneaton: McKenzie; Thackeray, Angus (Love 60), Simpson, Weaver (Hanney 71); Williams, Charles (King 77), Crowley, Peake; Barnes, Wray.

Referee: A McGee (Liverpool). Attendance: 1,247.

Updated: 12:03 Monday, April 16, 2001