An entertaining pre-season friendly saw Morpeth Town win 4-3 at home to Stockton Town as the Highwaymen’s preparations gathered pace.
Craik Park was surrounded by thunderstorms and monsoon-style rain in the build-up to the game, but those that braved the inclement weather were treated to a chance-filled game with plenty of attacking football from both sides.
Visiting Stockton started the better of the two sides and took the lead on six minutes thanks to Kev Hayes, the midfielder engineering some space in the box before lashing in at the near post, past keeper James Anderson.
The stopper would deny Stockton a second on 12 minutes though, this time preventing striker Michael Fowler as the latter smashed a shot into his face. Hayes then called Anderson into action soon after before Morpeth equalised on 24 minutes.
Jack Foalle netted his second of pre-season, seeing his first shot blocked before latching on to the loose ball in the box to fire home from close range.
Morpeth turned the game around three minutes later with a second of the game, Ryan Donaldson side-footing home after impressive direct play in the build-up from Connor Thomson.
As an end-to-end game kept motoring along, Stockton were level three minutes later thanks to Tom Portas. But it would be Morpeth who would go in at the interval ahead with a moment of quality in the 43rd minute.
Liam Noble floated a ball over the visiting defence that was taken down with a deft first Thomson touch before he calmly fired it through keeper Callum Roberts to give the Highwaymen the lead at the break.
Far from running out of momentum after the interval, the game delivered another goal – this time a leveller for Stockton to make it 3-3 on 48 minutes.
A corner in from the right found Adam Nicholson. The captain headed it back across goal for Tom Coulthard to sidefoot into the back of the net.
Danny Barlow so nearly responded on 54 minutes, hitting a cut-back past the post, before Donaldson sent Vinnie Steels in behind the away backline. The midfielder slipped before shooting but managed to cross for a trialist to slot home.
There were fleeting chances in the closing stages as a raft of changes for both sides disrupted the flow, but Ben Sayer’s low drive went past the post while Matty Boyd, fresh from scoring against North Shields on Tuesday, saw his low drive saved by Roberts.
An entertaining clash ended in victory for the Highwaymen and a second win of pre-season heading into Tuesday’s trip to National League North Spennymoor Town.
