Three different goal scorers, and a third clean sheet in four games, ensured Morpeth Town’s pre-season preparations remained on course after a 3-0 win over Newcastle Blue Star at Craik Park.
The Highwaymen have been steadily building up as they focus on August 10th, and a season opener at home to FC United of Manchester in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
On this occasion, a Blue Star side recently promoted to Northern League Division One, and holding former Morpeth players Sean Reid, Chris Reid, Liam Henderson, and Connor Oliver in their ranks, made the trip to Northumberland.
With their season starting the following week, it would be a good test against a team much further ahead in their schedule.
And so it proved, despite a nightmare start for the visitors that saw Morpeth take the lead within 60 seconds.
Nic Bollado was the man to benefit from a disastrously short back-pass from the visiting centre-half, latching on to the loose ball on the edge of the area before sending a rising effort over the keeper and in. His fourth goal of pre-season, he currently co-leads Morpeth’s scoring charts.
Town’s combative, mobile midfield was starting to click into gear but it was Luke James and Liam Miller who combined to good effect, a neat one-two releasing the latter. His effort, though, was toed wide on 14 minutes.
Morpeth continued to fine tune their press and got another sight of goal on 20 minutes, however James, after turning inside, saw his shot blocked.
The visitors saw their first chance dragged wide by Henderson on 24 minutes in a half that was punctuated by a competitive spirit that saw Jack Foalle blatantly hauled down by Chris Reid as he bore down on goal. The resulting free-kick struck the wall.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Morpeth doubling their advantage on 63 minutes when Blue Star failed to clear a corner and the ball fell for Ryan Wombwell to thump home from close range.
The hosts then hit the inside of the post two minutes later, through Foalle, as they threatened to extend their lead further, something that would happen on 74 minutes when the same player was awarded a penalty after being tripped in the box.
Although Foalle saw his spot-kick saved, he rifled in the rebound to make it 3-0 and add to his own growing tally of goals.
Reid smashed a late chance wide for the visitors but it was academic as the Highwaymen secured another win, another three goals, and another clean sheet.
James looked bright and inventive on the front foot, with Will Dowling’s distribution keeping Town ticking over in the heart of midfield as our squad gear up for another season in Step Three.
Morpeth are next in action when they make the trip to Berwick Rangers (3pm) on Saturday, before welcoming our friends from Ashington to Craik Park on Tuesday (7.30pm).
MORPETH TOWN: Langley, Evans, Wombwell, Henderson, Steels (Robson 75’), Dowling (Griggs 75’), Hickey, James (Davison 75’), Foalle, Bollado (Boyd 62’), Miller.
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