A competitive pre-season friendly ended in a goalless stalemate as Morpeth Town and Ashington failed to break the deadlock at Craik Park.
Welcoming newly-promoted neighbours Ashington, who will be playing in the NPL East division for the first time in their history, both sides viewed this as another step up in their preparations ahead of the curtain raiser on August 12th.
The visitors looked lively in midfield and were causing problems right from the off, with their number nine lashing a shot straight at Dan Lowson, the keeper making his first appearance of the campaign as he continues his recovery from a hernia operation.
The only time the ball found the net was in the seventh minute, but it was ruled out for offside. After latching on to a lofted through ball from Liam Noble, Jack Foalle rounded the keeper to slot into an empty net. He’d gone fractionally too early and the assistant referee chalked it off.
Chances were being created at both ends, with neither side content to knock it around patiently. Ashington’s number four drilled just wide and Foalle had a dangerous low cross cleared by the legs of the Ashington stopper as the game ebbed and flowed nicely in torrential rain.
Foalle was seeing the vast majority of the chances and lashed a volley wide of the target on 21 minutes before the best opportunity of the game fell the way of the visitors just past the half-hour mark. The number eight engineered half a yard of space on the edge of the box and crashed an effort off the underside of the bar with Lowson well beaten and a mere spectator.
Dan Maguire shot low and wide of the far post just before half-time as Ashington finished the half the stronger of the two sides.
Morpeth were working hard – the primary focus of any pre-season friendly – but just couldn’t get a grip of that central midfield area.
Vinnie Steels, one of our summer recruits, was introduced off the bench at half-time along with young goalkeeper James Anderson.
It would be the hosts who would start the brighter and create the first clear chance of the second half on 52 minutes, Steels racing down the right hand side before forcing the Ashington keeper into a fine save with his feet.
Both keepers then had to be alert at their near posts, with Anderson denying the visitors before Danny Barlow was denied for the Highwaymen.
Then came the best chance of the half on 64 minutes for Foalle. An inswinging delivery from Andrew Johnson found the unmarked Jeff Henderson. The captain headed back across goal but Foalle couldn’t convert, nodding straight at the keeper.
Maguire had a deflected dipping effort drop just over the top but neither side would be able to find the elusive breakthrough as an entertaining pre-season contest was ended with applause from all sides of the ground.
Morpeth are next in action on Tuesday night when we welcome Dunston UTS to Craik Park (7.30pm). Tickets available on the gate with both cash and card payment options available on the clubhouse turnstile.
