Morpeth Town an afternoon to forget as they were beaten 5-1 at home to Hyde United in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.

A Matty Fearnley hat-trick did the majority of the damage, with Harry Ditchburn and Harry Bunn adding further misery to the Highwaymen’s day.

Sam Hodgson reduced the deficit but to no avail.

The Highwaymen were severely stretched, without Josh Robson and Chris Reid through injury, and captain Jeff Henderson who was suspended.

With so few options in defence, Jack Foalle deputised at full-back with Danny Barlow on the opposite side of a makeshift defensive line.

The game would start with little to separate the two sides apart from fleeting half-chances that came and went, with Andrew Johnson’s low cross just evading Hodgson on the slide in the early stages and Nic Bollado lashing over the top on 14 minutes. Bunn would also smash over the bar as both sides traded opportunities.

The first goal, though, would go the way of the Tigers, on 24 minutes. After Liam Noble played the ball back to Ryan Wombwell, the centre-back got the ball stuck under his feet before being dispossessed by Fearnley, who rounded keeper Dan Lowson to score.

The latter had to be on top form to deny Lewis Alessandra twice in quick succession on 33 minutes.

Morpeth would then have their best chance of the game moments later but Hodgson’s header across keeper Jordan Eastham was clawed out by the stopper.

A decisive second goal would arrive through Ditchburn on 39 minutes, the right-back getting on to a floated Callum Spooner ball over the top to slot home at the near post.

Worse was to come before half-time when Fearnley scored again, the striker latching on to another Spooner through ball to once again round Lowson and score.

Morpeth needed a foothold in a game that was slipping away from them but started the second period in the same vein as the end of the first, by conceding on 49 minutes.

Fearnley was the man to complete his hat-trick, lashing a sweetly hit shot past Lowson to banish any lingering hopes of a comeback for the home side.

Town would reduce the deficit on 58 minutes. Hodgson netted from the spot after Foalle strode forward and drew a clumsy challenge from Joel Amado.

But there would be no comeback as Bunn scored from the spot with two minutes to go to seal a deserved victory for the visitors.

The hosting Highwaymen will be looking to bounce back at Atherton Collieries on Saturday.

Morpeth Town: Lowson, Foalle, Barlow (Boyd 78′), Donaldson, Wombwell, Turner, Steels, Noble, Hodgson (Dowling 86′), Bollado, Johnson.
Subs: Griggs.

Hyde United: Eastham, Ditchfield (Whittingham 78′), Doherty, Spooner, Amado, Roscoe, Bunn, Jones-Griffiths, Fearnley (White 87′), Makoli (Mampala 69′), Alessandra.
Subs: Bunney, Quadri.
Att: 457