Morpeth crashed out of the FA Trophy in the third round on Saturday afternoon as a clinical Notts County side showed their professionalism to get the job done writes Sam Donovan.

Elisha Sam opened the scoring for the Magpies and this was added to by Sam Graham and Jimmy Knowles in the second half. 

Notts County took the lead on 5 minutes when Elisha Sam was given time and space to cut inside from the left flank and he drilled in at the near post. 

County continued to press forward as Morpeth sat back and Jimmy Knowles slashed wildly off target on 8 minutes.

Sam had a chance to double the lead for Notts on 16 minutes but he powered a header narrowly wide of the near post following a cross from Richard Brindley. 

It took the opening 20 minutes for Morpeth to establish any sort of authority in the game and they had a good spell of possession which ended with Chris Reid attacking from his left back berth but his shot from the corner of the box was deflected  behind for a corner. 

On 26 minutes, the Highwaymen were finally able to test Luke Pilling in the Notts County goal but Andrew Johnson was only able to find the arms of Pilling after he had weaved inside. 

As the half drew to a close, it was the visitors who had the better of it as Tom Walker broke at pace and evaded three despairing challenges before finding Knowles who won a corner. 

The corner was swung in but headed wide by Alex Lacey who should have scored but nodded wide of the post. 

Into the second half and Morpeth were looking to try and get themselves back on level terms but it was the visitors who came closest as Sam smashed an effort over the bar from the edge of the area. 

The second goal for the visitors arrived on 57 minutes; Ruben Rodrigues had done well to work space but saw his effort go behind for a corner but Sam Graham was given the freedom of Craik Park to make it 2-0 as he headed home. 

It was effectively game over 6 minutes later as Knowles made it 3-0 as he was able to race away from halfway before rounding Dan Lowson and slipping the ball into an empty net. Morpeth were unhappy with the officials after Callum Williams looked to have been clipped on the edge of the County penalty area which led to the counter-attack. 

Morpeth continued to press as they looked for a consolation that they deserved but their chances weren’t taken. 

Liam Henderson curled an effort over the bar in 71 minutes before Johnson had a header cleared off the line as Town tried to find a goal. 

In between those efforts for Morpeth, Sam should have added to his tally after going round Lowson but shot wide. 

Morpeth Town: Lowson, Forster, Reid (Walton, 46’), Phillips (c), Hutchinson (Williams, 58’) Turner, Foalle, Noble, L. Henderson (Finnigan, 71’), Oliver, Johnson

Subs not Used: Sayer, Mohammed, Leonard, Bannon.

Goals:

Notts County: Pilling, Brindley (Kelly-Evans, 46’), Graham, O’Brien (c), Wolfe, Knowles, Sam, Rodrigues (Boldewijn, 70’), Walker, Chicksen, Lacey

Subs not Used: Kean, Rawlinson, Wooton, Doyle

Goals: Sam 5’, Graham 58’, Knowles 64’.