Match report proudly sponsored by Northumbria Print
Morpeth Town fell to defeat at home to previously bottom Liversedge, losing 2-0 at Craik Park in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
The Highwaymen’s stretched squad was there for all to see as they could only name three substitutes, with new loan signing Connor Pye starting after joining from Sunderland.
He replaced the injured Josh King, with Callum Morris also unavailable and being replaced by Sam Fishburn as the home side went for a slightly tweaked formation.
However, it didn’t start as they would have hoped, with the Highwaymen conceding in the seventh minute to a side who have picked up over two thirds of their points tally away from home this season.
The goal came from a ball into the edge of the box, with Nathan Cartman using his strength to roll Jeff Henderson before firing through the legs of goalkeeper Dan Lowson.
Fishburn sent a wild drive on the stretch, from a narrow angle, off target as Morpeth threatened an immediate response on nine minutes.
Andrew Johnson curled a shot narrowly wide on 14 minutes, but little else happened in a timid first half until the 37th minute when Lowson had to be alert to deny Nicholas Walker.
Matty Cornish was then given a clear sight of goal in the closing seconds of the half, but he was denied by Patrick Boyes in the Liversedge goal.
Morpeth needed more in the second half and should have been level moments after the restart when Ben Sayer’s delivery was flicked on by Fishburn for Jack Foalle to crash a shot goalwards. Bouncing off the underside of the bar, on to the line and clear, it would be the closest the hosts would come to restoring parity on 47 minutes.
Then came the second for the visitors on 51 minutes when Cartman was brought down on the edge of the box. It allowed Ben Atkinson to smash a free-kick into the far corner and double Liversedge’s advantage.
Jeff Henderson’s 57th minute header was easily gathered by the keeper as Town went in search of a foothold in the game, but Connor Smythe was also threatening at the opposite end and needed a smart stop from Lowson to deny him in the 68th minute.
Ben Sayer forced a good save from Boyes with the final whistle approaching but it wouldn’t change the outcome as Town suffered a seventh home league defeat of the campaign.
They need your support on Saturday when welcoming Nantwich Town to Craik Park (3pm) in another big game for the Highwaymen.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Robson, Pye, Donaldson, Henderson (C), Turner, Cornish (Thomson 70’), Sayer, Foalle, Fishburn (Ramsey 57’), Johnson.
SUBS: Lancaster.
LIVERSEDGE: Boyes, Carr, Stewart, Proctor, Ellis, Harris, Atkinson, Smythe, Cartman (Conteh 90’), Stockdill (C), Walker (Walton 82’).
SUBS: Hardacre, Khan, Taranadzo.
ATT: 302
