Match Report sponsored by Northumbria Print

Morpeth Town ended their home league campaign with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Scarborough Athletic in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.

The latter needed three points to secure their play-off spot in the end of season shoot-out, with Morpeth hoping to cap of their Craik Park campaign with a win.

But a Kieran Weledji brace and a Bailey Gooda goal ensured the Seadogs would achieve their objective at the expense of Morpeth.

The game started brightly enough for both sides as they based in the Easter Monday sunshine, and it was Town who would go closest in the early exchanges. Jack Foalle was the man to steam down the right flank before firing towards the near post. Scarborough keeper Ryan Whitley parried it back to Foalle, but the cut-back couldn’t be converted by Liam Henderson who saw his shot blocked.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 14th minute, through the right back Weledji. After heading goalwards from a corner, keeper Dan Lowson did superbly to keep it out. But the rebound fell to the defender to slam home from close range.

Scarborough would then strike decisively nine minutes later, another defender in Gooda breaking free of his marker to strike across Lowson and into the back of the net.

Will Jarvis then shot wide when in behind the Morpeth defence as the visitors threatened to end the game in the first half.

Although Andrew Johnson had an effort comfortably gathered by Whitley just before half-time, there was much to ponder at half-time for manager Craig Lynch.

Despite a few half-chances for Johnson, little would change in a low key second half, with substitute Jacob Day firing off target before Joe Walton smashed a rising volley off the post.

There’d still be time for Weledji to race clear on the counter to fire across Lowson and into the far corner to confirm the win for Scarborough.

Morpeth finish their league season with a visit to Atherton Collieries on Saturday.

MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Walton, Turner, Sayer, J.Henderson (Forster 58′), Morris, Foalle (Ramsey 61′), Noble, L.Henderson, Donaldson, Johnson.

SUBS: Wombwell, Oliver, Phillips.

GOALS:

SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC: Whitley, Weledji, Jackson, Maloney, Thornton, Gooda (Cogill 48′), Jarvis, Watson (Plant 72′), Coulson (Day 65′), Glynn, Colville.

SUBS: Bancroft, Cadman

GOALS: Kieran Weledji (14’, 88’), Bailey Gooda (23’)

ATT: 1,057