Morpeth Town roared back from 3-1 down with two minutes to go to earn a share of the spoils as a clash with Matlock Town delivered drama right to the last in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
Town trailed when John Johnston netted on nine minutes before equalising through Danny Barlow on 39 minutes. The Gladiators got their noses in front once more when Andrew Wright smashed home three minutes before half time. They then extended their lead on 63 minutes through Nathaniel Crofts. But Liam Noble reduced the deficit with two minutes of the 90 to go before Barlow struck again at the death.
Fresh from a superb 3-0 win over Workington earlier in the week, it was very much a case of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach to the starting line-up, with no changes to an increasingly settled side.
Morpeth had the first chance of the encounter when skipper Jeff Henderson’s raking cross-field ball was brought down by Andrew Johnson but after he cut inside and shot, he found keeper Saul Deeney.
Crofts, hugely impressive down the left hand side, shot straight at Highwaymen stopper Dan Lowson seconds later as both sides had early sights of goal.
Will Jenkins, who has made such a positive impact since joining on loan from South Shields, was forced off with a leg injury on seven minutes which unsettled the Highwaymen to such an extent that they would concede minutes later.
Johnston started the move by picking Johnson’s pocket in midfield before driving forward and moving the ball out to Jonathon Margetts. The forward fired a low cross to Crofts at the near post, he went round Lowson before finding Johnston on the slide to score from close range.
Morpeth, far from being flustered by this, created the next two chances of the game with Barlow lashing over the top before Ryan Donaldson, when well placed centrally, couldn’t hit the target from 20 yards out.
Matlock, though, were creating the better opportunities and could have gone two ahead but for Lowson getting down smartly to deny Margett’s low strike in the 23rd minute.
Jamie Sharman would pick up his first booking of the afternoon on 33 minutes before the home side found parity thanks to Barlow’s cool finish, latching on to a stray ball across goal, after Vinnie Steels pressured George Wilkinson, to slot home from seven yards.
For all their hard work to get back on terms, they were level for three minutes as Matlock once again hit the front. Wright set his sights from 20 yards and drilled a shot at the near post that Lowson couldn’t keep out as the visitors went into the interval in front.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first in the opening stages, with Johnston hitting a volley into the turf before it was cleared prior to Morpeth striker Sam Hodgson firing over the top with a volley.
Town continued to create half chances, with Henderson volleying straight at the keeper and Hodgson bending a shot wide of the target before the game exploded into life on the hour-mark.
Chris Reid slalomed forward and had his progress halted by a foul from Sharman, who received his second yellow card and a subsequent red.
Far from retreating, the Gladiators went on the attack. Sixty-three minutes were on the clock when a big shout for a Morpeth penalty for handball was waved away before Crofts was able to go from one end of the pitch to the other and lash an unstoppable 30-yard drive into the roof of the net.
Matlock were conducting a perfect away day performance as Morpeth patiently passed the ball around, but not through, the 10 men.
Noble sent a free-kick over the top before substitute Karl Demidh was crucially denied by an outstanding stop from Lowson. With the goal at his mercy, Demidh was denied by the outstretched leg of the keeper, a crucial moment.
Demidh again spurned a glorious chance when racing clear and Hodgson hit the underside of the bar at the other end as both sides saw the importance of the next goal.
Then, on 87 minutes, Noble struck low into the corner to reduce the deficit and give the Highwaymen hope with Hodgson passing up a glorious chance to level moments later after he rounded the keeper and fired wide of the target.
Crofts hit the bar in the 95th minute with a curling effort for Matlock, but the drama wouldn’t end there as the Highwaymen found a last-gasp equaliser, Barlow striking low from 16 yards to send Craik Park into raptures.
Morpeth are next in action when travelling to Bradford Park Avenue on Monday night (7.45pm). Commentary on Highwaymen Radio – available for free – starts at 7.40pm.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Robson (Wombwell 88’), Miller (Nkunku 70’), Jenkins (Donaldson 7’), Henderson, Reid, Steels, Noble, Hodgson, Barlow, Johnson.
SUBS: Turner, Dowling
MATLOCK TOWN: Deeney, McNicholas, Wilkinson, Clark, Evans, Sharman, Johnston, Wright, Augustein (Demidh 64’), Margetts (Wakefield 83’), Crofts.
SUBS: Catt, Styche, M.Wright
ATT: 379
