FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Garforth Town 1-4 Morpeth Town
(Oyebanji 74; Carr 36, Chilton 45, 54, Taylor 72)
Morpeth Town advanced to the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win over North Eastern Counties League side Garforth Town in Yorkshire on Saturday afternoon.
A brace from experienced striker Michael Chilton, and a goal apiece from Luke Carr and Sean Taylor secured the win for the Highwaymen on a day Morpeth thoroughly outclassed their opposition. The only blemish on the performance was a late Sinmi Oyebanji consolation.
Garforth actually started the game on top, within the first three minutes, Luke Mangham trying his luck from the edge of the area, firing a long range effort well wide. It was Mangham again who missed the two minutes later after breaking onto a lofted ball from Mark Simpson, this time firing over from the right edge of the penalty area.
From that point on, it was dominance from the Northern League side. Lee McAndrew the first to test the ‘keeper with a header from a Ben Sayer cross. Roles were reversed on the next Morpeth attack, McAndrew the provider, picking out Sayer on the edge of the area, the midfielder hitting a right footed effort goal wards, denied by the diving stop of Ben Hunter.
The Highwaymen were playing some excellent passing football from the back and should probably have taken the lead on 20 minutes. James Novak ventured down the left wing before playing in Sean Taylor. The forward beat one before crossing to Carr who swung a left foot at the ball, his goalbound effort hitting a defender and going behind.
Chance after chance fell to the visitors, but it wasn’t until the 36th minute that Morpeth eventually took the lead. An over hit Taylor cross was picked up by Carr on the right. He played the ball back to right-back Stephen Forster, who in turn found Sayer on the edge of the area. The midfielder picked out Carr’s intelligent run into the penalty area, who took a touch before slotting the ball low past the ‘keeper into the bottom left hand corner.
Sayer found himself in a similar position three minutes later, this time instead of passing he took aim from 20 yards, hitting a powerful effort narrowly wide of the right hand upright.
The second goal came on the stroke of half time. McAndrew picked up the ball on the left edge of the penalty area. He found Novak who combined with Sayer to play in Carr once more. The midfielder tricked his way past one before crossing to Michael Chilton who was on hand to deflect the ball just over the line.
Coming out for the second half, Morpeth continued to dominate possession without creating too many goal scoring opportunities. The third goal on 56 minutes by Chilton was a thing of beauty, however. Sayer was again the provider from the edge of the area, his shot was diverted into the net by an incredible back-heel by Chilton.
Chilton should have completed his hat-trick from the kick-off, sloppy play from Garforth allowed McAndrew to cross, finding Taylor at the back post who laid the ball off to the striker who fired just wide.
It was more like a training exercise for Morpeth at this point, but the home side now and again broke on the counter, the best opportunity falling to Oyebanji who was denied a goal by Morpeth Town ‘keeper Karl Dryden with a one on one save.
Town added a fourth on 74 minutes, Steven Anderson beating the offside trap after a Keith Graydon through ball. The striker unselfishly squared for Taylor to tap in from 5 yards out.
One minute later it was 4-1, a right win corner was not dealt with by the Morpeth defence, allowing Ash Preece to prod a ball off the Oyebanji, although it could be argued the Garforth attacker handled the ball into the goal.
All in all, a professional performance from the Highwaymen who now face a trip to Newton Aycliffe in the Preliminary Round.
