Morpeth Town progressed into the next round of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup thanks to a 2-0 win over Newcastle Benfield, writes Ross Jackson.

The Highwaymen scored a goal in each half – with Matty Griggs and Jack Foalle registering – as they moved past a hard-working Benfield at Craik Park.

The game started almost immediately with a goal, Town opening the scoring on three minutes through youngster Griggs.

Currently on dual registration terms with Whitley Bay, the winger had his chance to impress in this one and duly grasped that opportunity with the first goal of the game.

Town broke quickly down the right, with Foalle crossing for Nic Bollado to control and lay it on a plate for Griggs to score his first competitive goal for Morpeth. As a former academy graduate, this goal marked the latest step in his development at the club.

Benfield recovered from this early set-back and settled into a hard-working rhythm, forcing uncharacteristic mistakes out of a Morpeth side struggling to find consistency in their game.

Noah Millington, another former academy player at Morpeth now plying his trade in the Northern League, had the majority of the chances for the visitors, either finding keeper Dan Langley or striking off target as Benfield suggested they weren’t there just to make up the numbers.

Morpeth couldn’t take advantage of a couple of bizarre moments, one of which saw them with a six-on-two counter-attack which they inexplicably couldn’t finish off before half-time, with Josh Robson, offside, rolling the ball into an empty net.

The second half followed a similar path to the first, with Millington denied by Langley from a set-piece and Morpeth frustrating themselves going forward.

By this point, Benfield were forced into playing their centre-back and captain Lewis Scorgie in nets as Andrew Grainger was forced off during the half-time interval with injury.

Facing this prospect, Town didn’t get a shot on goal until the 83rd minute when Foalle, receiving Griggs’ pass, calmly slotted a shot into the far corner.

There’d still be time for Foalle to cut a shot just past the far post but the result was already confirmed, as was Morpeth’s progress into the next round of the competition.

MORPETH TOWN: Langley, King, Robson, Dowling, Henderson (c), Buddle (Wombwell 86’), Griggs (Baston 88’), Barlow, Foalle (Davison 88’), Bollado, John (Evans 86’).

SUBS: James.

BENFIELD: Grainger (Teixeira 46’), Bennett, Harvey (Little 87’), Howard, Scorgie (c), Dawson, Fryatt (O’Reilly 87’), Haley, Millington (Kirk 70’), Guy, Turnbull.

SUBS:

ATT: 207