Match Report proudly sponsored by Northumbria Print
Carl Finnigan struck an equaliser 11 minutes from time as Morpeth Town fought back for a share of the spoils at home to South Shields in the NPL Premier Division.
Jason Gilchrist broke the deadlock at Craik Park 10 minutes after the interval, but former Mariners striker Finnigan pounced on 79 minutes to level matters for the hosts.
The visitors started brightly without really threatening Morpeth’s goal. That was until the 14th minute, when Sefton Gonzales’ header from an inswinging free-kick was hacked off the line. Four minutes later and Dan Lowson needed to be on his guard in the Town goal to deny a low driven effort from Shields.
As Morpeth eased into the contest, they would get a first sight of goal in the 21st minute as Sean Taylor darted in off the left, but his low shot was dragged wide of the near post. The same player then latched on to a loose ball in the 31st minute, but his fierce drive was pushed clear by Ryan Whitley in the Shields goal.
As the game ebbed and flowed without providing clear-cut opportunities, it was Gilchrist who would find the net first in the 55th minute, the striker guiding the ball home after a right-sided cut-back from the byline.
Chris Reid blasted over in the 62nd minute as the home side went in search of a leveller, before Darius Osei, making his debut after netting twice against South Shields for Stalybridge Celtic in the previous game, sprinted clear only to find Lowson out smartly to deny him on the deck.
The impetus was placed firmly on Morpeth to turn the game around. With Joe Walton thrown into the fray and causing problems down the right flank, the Highwaymen would find the equaliser with 11 minutes to go.
A corner in from Ben Sayer fell for Walton in the box. His shot was drilled towards the far post before Finnigan latched on to it to tap in from five yards to the joy of a jubilant home support.
In truth, a draw was a fair result as a healthy crowd of 1,704 enjoyed both sides locking horns following their long history in the Northern League.
Morpeth are next in action when they travel to Atherton Collieries for an NPL Premier Division clash. We’ll have live radio commentary from 2.55pm on our Mixlr page.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Forster, Reid, Noble, Hutchinson, Turner (J.Henderson 67), Taylor (Walton 60), Hodgson, L.Henderson, Finnigan, Phillips (c) (Sayer 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Foalle, Turnbull.
GOAL: Carl Finnigan (79)
SOUTH SHIELDS: Whitley, Hunter, Baxter, Ross, Morse, Verstraaten, Lowe, Briggs (c), Gilchrist, Mason, Gonzales (Osei 60).
SUBS NOT USED: Charlton, Brown, Thompson, Gillies.
GOAL: Jason Gilchrist (55)
ATT: 1704
MAN OF THE MATCH:
