Media team sponsored by Northumbria Print
Morpeth Town put in a dominant display as they beat Newcastle Blue Star 3-1 at the latter’s Scotswood-based ground.
The Highwaymen’s latest pre-season outing – with the NPL Premier Division’s big kick-off just two weeks away – had plenty of chances, with the woodwork taking a battering as Morpeth threatened to run riot.
A brace from Liam Henderson and an opener from Liam Noble ensured victory, despite Sam Norris’ penalty mid-way through the second half.
Town started strongly and had chances from a variety of sources, before Noble opened the scoring on 26 minutes.
The midfielder, following incisive play down the left flank, found himself in acres of space in the box to side-foot home a cut-back from the byline.
It was no more than Morpeth deserved and they continued to press in search of more goals; finding them in the 36th and 40th minutes from the boot of a familiar source; Henderson.
The forward, back after missing the Hemel Hempstead game the week before, had the simplest of tasks of rolling home from four yards for his first, after Noble’s arrow-like through ball released Ryan Donaldson.
The latter was thwarted by Blue Star’s keeper, before retrieving the rebound and laying it on a plate for Henderson to register his fifth goal of pre-season.
His individual tally would move on to six just moments later, after a gift from the Blue Star centre-back, who mis-controlled. This allowed Henderson time and space to shoot from the edge of the box past the exposed keeper and put the Highwaymen 3-0 up by the 40th minute.
Plenty of chances came and went, with Jack Foalle hitting the woodwork twice, while Noble was also denied by the frame of the goal.
But Blue Star would get a goal for their efforts in the 67th minute after a penalty was awarded following a challenge from Ben Ramsey in the area.
But Town were never in trouble of conceding more, and should have added a fourth, only for the trialist to shoot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Morpeth are next in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Marske United for another pre-season friendly (7.45pm).
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson; Forster, J.Henderson, Hutchinson, Ramsey, Hodgson, Noble, Foalle, Donaldson, Johnson, L.Henderson.
SUBS: Sayer, Walton, Trialist x5
ATT: 275
