The Highwaymen suffered their second league defeat of the season as they went down 2-1 at Loughborough Dynamo.
Josh Riley and Luke Thorogood had put the hosts 2-0 up at the interval before a rejuvenated Morpeth side got one back in the second half through Sean Taylor.
Dan Lowson returned to the side along with Jordan Fry and Sean Taylor who replaced Tom Potter who was unavailable and Sam Hodgson who was suspended.
The first talking point of the game was not a goal or even a shot but a dangerous challenge from Jared Holmes who could have perhaps counted himself lucky to only be shown a yellow card.
Neither side had been able to muster a shot on target until Josh Riley tapped the hosts ahead on 24 minutes. Ryan Robbins was able to escape the attentions of several Morpeth players before seeing an effort squirm along the line to Riley who couldn’t miss from 2 yards out.
It took Morpeth, 29 minutes to have their first shot on target but it was tame as Ben Sayer curled in a free kick that was claimed comfortably by Charlie Taylor in the Dynamo goal.
Just as the Highwaymen were trying to get a foothold in the game, Luke Thorogood doubled the lead for the home side. A free kick was only half cleared and Thorogood was able to volley in a bobbling effort from edge of the box.
Jack Foalle went close to halving the deficit on the stroke of half time but his looping Hereford drifted wide of the far post.
The second half began with Town on the front foot and Jack Foalle saw his volley clear the crossbar from a similar position to where Thorogood had scored his effort.
Morpeth thought they got a goal back on 51 minutes when a long free kick was fumbled by Taylor and the ball was stabbed home. Unfortunately, the referee had blown a foul on the ‘keeper as he fumbled the ball.
The game had threatened to boil over on several occasions during the course of the game and Stephen Forster was cautioned after clashing with Ryan Robbins.
Just before the hour, the Highwaymen were given a lifeline to get back into the game when Jordan Fry was taken down in the box by Carl Sibson who had already been cautioned. David Carson stepped up but smashed his effort wide of the post.
Sean Taylor did reduce the arrears when he was clean through and clipped the ball into the roof of the net at the near post on 63 minutes. The referee played a good advantage allowing play to continue after Wayne Phillips was taken down off the ball.
As the game progressed, Loughborough started to drop deeper and deeper and Morpeth were increasingly stretched at the back. Taylor made a smart save to deny Liam Henderson.
The hosts did look dangerous and it was Ryan Robbins who looked the most dangerous player for the hosts and he forced Dan Lowson into two smart saves.
Sean Taylor was denied by the legs of Charlie Taylor as he looked to restore parity in the 77th minute.
Charlie Taylor was nearly left red-faced as a routine catch from a header was spilled by the keeper and it hit the post before going out for a corner.
There was to be no further chances for the visitors as they tasted defeat for only the second time in the league this season.
Next up for the Highwaymen is a home game against A.F.C. Mansfield on Saturday 1st December. Our game at Pickering next Saturday is to be rearranged due to their F.A. Trophy game.
LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO: Taylor, Asamoah, Keenan, Holmes (c), Foster, Sibson (Gordon, 67), Young, Thorogood, Demidh (Brown, 57).
SUBS NOT USED: Read, Reittie
GOALS: Riley 24’, Thorogood 41’.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Forster (Walton, 60), Reid, Sayer, J. Henderson, Petrache, Taylor, Phillips (c), Foalle, David Carson, Fry (L. Henderson, 60).
SUBS NOT USED: Graydon, Mott
GOALS: Taylor 63’.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Wayne Phillips
