Morpeth Town 0-4 Macclesfield

Macclesfield did what they needed to become champions of the Pitching In Northern Premier League in Northumberland after beating Morpeth Town 4-0 at Craik Park, but will have to wait another week.

The Highwaymen were stern opposition for most of the first half and had the chances to take the lead.

After a quarter of an hour Sam Hodgson capitilised on a defensive mix-up from Paul Dawson as he took the ball towards goal and unselfishly squared to Jack Foalle but the latter’s shot was straight at Max Dearnley.

Almost 10 minutes later the hosts failed to take advantage of a scramble in the penalty area following a Will Dowling corner but no one could get a shot away and the ball was cleared off the line.

Although they had much of the possession, the Silkmen hadn’t had any clear-cut chances until Luke Duffy and Sean Etaluku saw strong efforts pushed away by Dan Langley midway through the half.

Morpeth defensive duo Josh King and Nathsn Buddle had won everything in the air in the first half but just a minute before half-time Laurent Mendy was free in the box as a corner was whipped in and he headed unopposed into the corner.

A minute into added on time and it was two when Danny Elliott was quick to react to a blunder from Leon Gibson-Booth and took the ball and dispatched.

The second half saw the side from Chesire get into full flow and 10 minutes into the second period Luke Duffy fired in a third.

A fourth wasn’t too far away, but in between that coming and the third, John Rooney audaciously tried a long distance chip to catch Langley out but it dipped just over the crossbar.

Just short of 70 on the clock and Rhys Evans was adjudged to have clipped Duffy as he reacted to a rebound and the referee pointed to the spot – Elliott stepped up and stuttered before firing into the bottom right corner for his second of the afternoon.

The result in Worksop saw the Tigers beat Hyde United 3-1, so Macclesfield will have to wait and can wrap up the title next week at home against Bamber Bridge with a victory.

Morpeth XI: Langley; Evans, Buddle, King, Robson; Dowling, Barlow, Gibson-Booth; Foalle, Hodgson, James.

Subs: Wilson, Bollado, Henderson, Milligan, Gardiner.