Morpeth bounced back to winning ways on Saturday afternoon as they comfortably beat Consett at a blustery Bellevue.
Liam Henderson and Keith Graydon struck early to put the Highwaymen in control at the interval, despite Henderson also missing a spot kick. Adam Burnicle added a third before Consett claimed a consolation through Michael Mackay.
The hosts had the first half chance of the game after 3 minutes as Michael Sweet skewed a volley well wide following a cross from Michael Mackay.
That missed opportunity was punished on 8 minutes. Keith Graydon put the pressure on in midfield as they looked to pass back to Kyle Hayes in goal for Consett. The pressure from Graydon forced the ball to be under hit and Liam Henderson was on hand to smash the ball home.
The lead was doubled on 12 minutes through Graydon. One of the trialists did well to scamper down the left wing before cutting inside. As he looked to shoot, he had his legs taken away from him. Captain Graydon stepped forward and curled a majestic freekick over the wall and into the bottom corner giving Hayes no chance.
The chances kept falling the way of Morpeth as they looked to extend their lead as first Jordan Fry could only head straight at Hayes before the rebound fell to an off-balance Henderson who lashed the ball over the bar.
Joe Walton was next to try his luck as he latched onto a long ball over the top. The winger looked up to see Hayes struggling to get back to his line and tried to lob the ball into the net; however, the wind took the ball and it drifted harmlessly high and wide of the goal.
The hosts did remind Morpeth that they could pose a threat. Danny Craggs struck a free kick from the best part of 35 yards and his effort was drilled narrowly wide with the trialist goalkeeper diving at full stretch to see it didn’t sneak in.
On 43 minutes, Henderson had a golden opportunity to double his tally when he was fouled in the box. He won the penalty himself as he nipped in to win the ball ahead of Arjun Purewal and the defender caught him. Unfortunately for the Morpeth supporters who travelled, Henderson dragged the spot kick wide.
The second half wasn’t as free flowing as the first due to the inevitable substitutions that disrupted the rhythm of the game.
The game restarted with Morpeth still in the ascendancy as they looked to grab a third. Adam Burnicle arrived as a half time replacement for Joe Walton and it was Burnicle who almost added the third. His angled drive was saved well by Hayes and the ball was whipped away from to the toe of Henderson as he looked to pounce.
Burnicle was not to be denied moments later as he volleyed home from just inside the 6yd box. Great work down the Morpeth left saw the trialist winger beat his man before whipping in a cross that Burnicle finished.
As to be expected the game petered out with Morpeth content on keeping possession of the ball without looking too dangerous.
Consett did grab a consolation when they were awarded a penalty. A cross was whipped into the box and one of the trialist defenders went to clear with a diving header played the ball with his hand. The penalty was confidently converted by Mackay despite the ‘keeper guessing the right way.
The referee blew for fulltime without any further chances at either end.
This was a good workout for both sides with Consett getting their league campaign underway in a week and Morpeth having another couple of games before their season starts.
Next up for the Highwaymen is an attractive friendly with a Sunderland XI on Tuesday evening at Craik Park.
Consett: Hayes, Green, Gray, Slocombe, McKinnon, Purewal, Craggs (c), Juul, Sweet, Carr, Mackay.
Subs: Convery, Coombe, Male, Lawrence, Smith, Cassidy, Lavery, Trialist.
Morpeth: Trialist, Trialist, Reid, Phillips, Trialist, Turner, Walton, Graydon, Fry, Henderson, Trialist.
Subs: Burnicle, Macdonald, Trialist.
