Morpeth Town put in an impressive display as their latest pre-season outing ended in a 1-1 draw at Spennymoor Town.
The National League North hosts had five pre-season games under their belt already prior to the visit of the Highwaymen to Brewery Field, who were only two games into their programme.
Spennymoor started brightly, knocking the ball around and creating space, but it would be a well-organised Morpeth side who would get a first sight of goal six minutes in when Vinnie Steels’ cross was blocked.
A Spenny free-kick whistled high and wide on 17 minutes as both sides worked hard, with the Highwaymen diligent off the ball and quick to counter when on it.
Being driven on by the energy of the impressive Danny Barlow, Morpeth’s midfield was winning the battle and created a chance on 25 minutes when Liam Noble released former Moors man Andrew Johnson down the left. But his fizzed cross was pushed away by the trialist keeper.
Then, two minutes later, came a superbly opportunistic opening goal for Spennymoor through Sam Fielding, the midfielder spotting keeper James Anderson well off his line and scoring from inside his own half.
Far from suffering from this set-back, Morpeth responded almost immediately with a clinical equaliser from Barlow. The former Blyth Spartans man, who joined over the summer, got his goal account up and running for the Highwaymen by lashing a shot into the far corner after Spennymoor failed to clear their lines.
A fine finish, it was a goal his performance deserved.
As the half wore on, somewhat bizarrely, the referee’s notebook was getting used more and more with Noble and Spenny striker Glenn Taylor going in the book.
All level at the break, the second half followed a similar pattern, with Morpeth remaining stoic in the face of the home side’s attacks.
Taylor, who somehow escaped a second yellow card and a red after shoving Chris Reid over, fired over the top with a 52nd minute free-kick, while teammate Rob Ramshaw made his mark on the game by bundling through the back of Noble to earn a yellow card.
With a raft of substitutes seeing many of our academy lads entering the fray, the game’s momentum slowed with the final chance an 82nd minute Johnson effort that sailed over the top.
It ended in a draw, but both sides will be pleased with the intensity of the workout and the competitive nature of the game that will stand them in good stead for the rest of pre-season and beyond.
Morpeth are next in action on Saturday when welcoming Ashington to Craik Park (3pm).
