Match Report brought to you by Northumbria Print

Morpeth Town grabbed a deserved draw at National League North side York City on Saturday in the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup writes Sam Donovan.

Ben Sayer was the goalscoring hero for the Highwaymen as they more than matched their illustrious opponents for long periods of the game. Mark Beck had opened the scoring for the Minstermen midway through the first half but Sayer levelled with a quarter of an hour remaining. 

The first opportunity of the game arrived on 12 minutes with Jason Gilchrist sending a header over the bar. It was a difficult chance for the former South Shields man with a corner being flicked on at the near post with Gilchrist not keeping his header down. 

Morpeth hit back though and on 20 minutes created their first opportunity. Callum Morris pinged a long ball over the defence for Andrew Johnson who cut the ball back for Jack Foalle but he dragged his effort wide of the far post. 

The Minstermen took the league on 26 minutes. A free kick was whipped into the far post by Mackenzie Heaney where it was met by Akil Wright who nodded it back across goal for Mark Beck to head home from 4 yards. 

Morpeth went close to levelling things up on 37 minutes. Joe Walton floated a long ball forward for Sean Taylor who chested the ball fown for Johnson who smashed a low effort low to the left of Peter Jameson who dived full length to turn it away. 

The second half began with both sides piling forward in search of goals. The best chance in the opening stages fell the way of Ben Sayer. Foalle collected the ball in his own half and he galloped forward skinning Paddy McLaughlin and Harrison Hopper in the process before setting up Sayer who saw his shot beat Jameson but was cleared off the line by Wright. 

Morpeth continued to press forward to get themselves an equaliser in the game. Johnson who continued to torment Duckworth cut inside the fullback but curled an effort narrowly over the bar. 

At the other end of the pitch, Micky Turner had to be alert to block a cross from Michael Woods at the expense of a corner but Morpeth were able to clear the danger.

With a touch over 20 minutes remaining, Heaney wriggled through a couple of challenges on the edge of the area before shooting straight at Lowson.

Morpeth went straight down the other end of the field and AJ set up Liam Noble but the midfielder shot over the bar. 

That chance wasn’t to prove costly as the Highwaymen levelled with 15 minutes remaining. Micky Turner threw a long throw into the area and it was flicked on the at the near post by Jeff Henderson, with Foalle nodding back into the middle and Sayer leapt highest to head the ball beyond Jameson.

Town could smell blood and Jameson was forced into action once more as Noble forced him to tip tha ball behind for a corner. 

York still posed a threat and they thought they had snatched a winner with only 4 minutes remaining as Clayton Donaldson turned the ball home at the far post but he was a good yard ahead of the final defender and the flag rightly went up.

In the second minute of added time, the Highwaymen came within a finger tip of grabbing a famous winner when Ryan Donaldson clipped an effort from the edge of the box that Jameson managed to get a hand to and divert onto the bar and over for a corner. 

The final whistle went to the jubilation of the Morpeth travelling support and players on the pitch whilst the York fans jeered their players. The result means that Morpeth will be in the draw for the 1st round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. 

The replay will take place at Craik Park on Tuesday evening with a 7.45pm kick off. 

York City: Jameson, Duckworth, Wright, Fielding, McLaughlin (c), Dyson, Woods, Hopper, Heaney, Gilchrist (Willoughby, 61’), Beck (Donaldson, 70’).

Subs not Used: Campbell, Haase, Cunningham, Degruchy, Lancaster.

Goals: Beck 26’

Morpeth Town: Lowson, Walton, Turner, Sayer (Oliver, 78’), J. Henderson (c), Morris, Foalle (Ramsey, 90’), Noble, Johnson, Donaldson, Taylor.

Subs not Used: Hodgson, Maddison, Phillips, Reid, Indalecio

Goals: Sayer 75’