The Highwaymen stretched their unbeaten run to 8 games as they ultimately and comfortably beat Spalding United.
A penalty from Joe Walton, an own goal from Spalding ‘keeper Michael Duggan and a strike from Sean Taylor sealed the points for Town. James Cullingworth and Rudy Misambo saw red for the visitors.
The opening half of the game was forgettable with very few chances of note as both sides squandered possession cheaply.
Dan Lowson had to be alert on 9 minutes when Liam Marshall was able to meet a corner but the header from the Spalding left back was straight into the arms of Lowson.
It took Morpeth 25 minutes to register some attacking intent. David Carson was chopped down 25yrds from goal and the midfielder looked to repeat his heroics from the last home game against Sheffield F.C. On this occasion though, the freekick was low and claimed comfortably by Duggan.
Leon Mettam, who was a constant threat for the visitors had half a chance as the game wore on. He seized on a defensive mistake before striding forward before hitting a half volley that drifted wide with Lowson scrambling across goal.
Right on the half time whistle, Carson again broke forward before twisting and turning inside the box. He fired in a low effort at the near post which was blocked by the legs of Duggan.
The second half more than made up for the lack of quality in the first with the turning point occurring on the hour mark. Tom Potter cut inside from the Morpeth right before seeing his shot palmed away; as Jack Foalle and Rudy Misambo chased the loose ball, the big defender tugged Foalle back and the referee pointed to the spot.
Joe Walton came on immediately as a substitute for Potter and Walton kept his cool to slot the ball home.
Only 2 minutes later and the visitors were down to 10 men with Misambo collecting a second yellow card for tangling with Foalle having received a yellow for the penalty.
Whilst the Tulips tried to recover from this, their afternoon was made even more difficult on 66 minutes with James Cullingworth being sent off for catching Sam Hodgson.
Morpeth looked to make their numerical superiority count as they started to dominate possession. The second goal duly arrived on 74 minutes and it compounded the misery for the travelling Tulips. Ben Sayer curled in a corner and it was met by a towering Michael Turner header. The header came back off the bar and hit the unlucky Duggan on the back of the head and went into the net.
The final act of the game occurred when the returning Sean Taylor who had missed recent games through injury, slotted the ball home from Sayer’s through ball.
It was a true game of two halves which improved dramatically after the interval but owed much to the implosion of Spalding who looked good value for a point before some poor decision making cost them dearly.
The Highwaymen are back in action on Tuesday night when they entertain Newcastle United U23’s in the semi-finals of the Techflow Group Northumberland Senior Cup. Kick off at Craik Park is at 7.30pm.
Morpeth Town: Lowson, Forster, Turner, Sayer, Petrache (Reid, 68), J. Henderson, David Carson, Hodgson, Foalle, Phillips (c) (Taylor, 72), Potter (Walton, 60).
Subs not Used: L. Henderson, Fry.
Goals: Walton (p) 62’, Duggan (OG) 74’, Taylor 85’.
Spalding United: Duggan, Moyses, Marshall (Fixter, 87), Cullingworth, Misambo, Hare, Cooper, Everington, Wells, Mettam (c) (Zuerner, 68), Hugo.
Subs not Used: Martin, Brownell, Acar.
Goals: N/A
Attendance: 650
Man of the Match: Jeff Henderson
