Morpeth Town exited the Emirates FA Cup following a 3-1 defeat at Spennymoor Town, writes Ross Jackson.

A deserved win for the hosts, Glen Taylor and Rob Ramshaw had them two to the good by the half-hour mark before Isaac Fletcher added a third. Luke James netted a late consolation for the visitors.

This second qualifying round clash didn’t exactly explode into life in the first half, but Morpeth would have been content with their start and even threatened to open their account on 11 minutes. But Ryan Wombwell’s volley at the back post flashed across goal, evading everyone.

Spennymoor were being held at bay, rarely threatening in the first 20 minutes. But then came their first chance when Taylor shot straight at keeper Dan Langley before finding the net just seconds later from a corner.

Matty Dolan’s delivery would provide a game-changer for Moors, his first corner on 23 minutes going all the way through for Taylor to poke home, despite Langley getting a hand to his close range effort.

Failing to deal with the set-piece, Morpeth didn’t learn their lesson, conceding once more from a corner on 30 minutes; Dolan again the provider with Ramshaw glancing a header across goal and into the far corner.

From a position of relative comfort, Town were now reeling and could have conceded a third just before half time if Fletcher’s header had been either side of Langley and Ramshaw’s effort wasn’t saved smartly by the Highwaymen keeper.

The home side started the second half impressively, cutting open Morpeth on 48 minutes only for Taylor to be denied by the feet of Langley.

The striker would hit the post on 62 minutes but they’d get their third goal on 72 minutes, the impressive Fletcher superbly volleying into the far corner.

James had put in a fine, if frustrating, shift as the lone striker and had his first effort on 82 minutes following neat one-two play on the edge of the area.

Whereas the Spenny keeper handled that comfortably, he made a complete hash of the next one from James on 85 minutes, his shot from range somehow going through his grasp and into the net.

There was still time for Langley to be called upon to deny Fletcher on the counter as Spennymoor sought further gloss to the scoreline.

But on an afternoon which saw them tumble out of the FA Cup, Morpeth will be perhaps more concerned by both Jeff Henderson and Josh King leaving the field on a stretcher.

Town are next in action when they travel to Guiseley on Tuesday night. Live commentary will be available on our Mixlr page from 7.40pm.

SPENNYMOOR TOWN: Mitchell, Staunton, Ross, Rowe, Fletcher, Taylor (Harris 80’), Ranshaw, Dyson, Ledger, McKeown (Mondal 68’), Dolan.

SUBS: James, Beals, Myers, Hooper, Bayat.

MORPETH TOWN: Langley, Evans, Robson, Hickey (Dowling 55’), Henderson (King 55’ (Taylor 90’), Wombwell, John, Barlow, Foalle, Bollado (Buddle 80’), James.

SUBS: Mallaburn, Taylor, Davison.

ATT: 563