Morpeth Town slipped to a third successive defeat, this time at home to Warrington Rylands in a 3-1 defeat at Craik Park in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.

Visiting Rylands took the lead on 22 minutes when Ollie Shenton slotted in on his debut, before Andrew Johnson cancelled the goal out with a superb 37th minute strike. Ben Hardcastle put his side ahead on the stroke of half time, with Sam Burns capping the win on 79 minutes.

The Highwaymen, perhaps with one eye on their next game just 48 hours later, made a number of changes to the starting XI, with Jack Foalle, Sam Hodgson, Will Dowling, and Josh Robson all finding themselves on the bench.

Both sides, after seeing kick-off delayed until 3.30pm due to the opposition arriving at 2.15pm, started well enough, knocking the ball around to good effect.

Town had the best chance of the opening stages, on 11 minutes, when Fenton John wriggled clear of a foul before striking straight at keeper Luke Pilling, who palmed it clear.

Mo Touray, a constant source of menace, saw a shot superbly pushed behind by Town stopper Dan Lowson before, from the resulting corner, James Butler looped a header on to the top of the bar.

On 18 minutes, Highwaymen skipper Jeff Henderson had his head in his hands as he got underneath a John corner, sending a back post header well wide and over.

Then came the opening goal, on 22 minutes, through Shenton. After only joining during the week as part of a trio of signings, the midfielder was teed up by Touray and duly dispatched the shot from the edge of the box.

Town, though, were far from overrun and could have levelled seconds after the restart when Johnson cut in off the left side but his cross-cum-shot went narrowly past the far post.

Dan Cockerline, who has played plenty of times at Craik Park for Nantwich over the years, could have scored but the towering striker, under pressure from Henderson, flashed a shot straight at Lowson.

Then came the equaliser for Town on 37 minutes and it was a brilliant one. Johnson shrugged off the attentions of Clive Smith before unleashing a superb bending left-footed strike that found the far corner.

Visiting Rylands, who hadn’t lost all season (17 games) on the road in the league, were stung into action and the hosts were thankful to Lowson on 42 minutes, the keeper making an outstanding low stop.

But a crucial goal would arrive for Warrington on the stroke of half-time from Hardcastle. The former Ashton United winger popped up at the back post to slot in and give his side the advantage at the break.

Morpeth started the second half with two clear sights of goal that they couldn’t convert. John had both of them, sending the first over the bar on 47 minutes before lashing a half volley narrowly over two minutes later.

Town were pushing for an equaliser, with Nic Bollado, being used as a central striker, sending a rising 56th minute drive wide before Josh King thumped the crossbar with a header.

Not scoring in that time would prove crucial as Rylands, through another debutant in Burns, found the net on 79 minutes from close range to effectively end the contest.

Morpeth kept plugging away, with Hodgson sending a header straight at Pilling before the latter denied Foalle in the closing stages as Rylands earned the win.

Morpeth are next in action when they travel to Whitby on Easter Monday (3pm). If you’re not at the game, you can get live 90-minute commentary on our Mixlr page from 2.55pm.

MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Wombwell (Robson 61’), Turner, Donaldson (Hodgson 68’), Henderson (c), King, Steels (Foalle 68’), Barlow, Bollado, John, Johnson.

SUBS: Dowling, Lynn.

WARRINGTON RYLANDS: Pilling, Smith, Brockbank, Neild (c), Butler, Furman, Hardcastle, Shenton (Hough 87’), Cockerline, Touray (Duffy 76’), Burns (Baillie 80’).

SUBS: Swaby-Neavin, Pedro.

ATT: 401