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Morpeth Town host Radcliffe in their latest Pitching In NPL Premier Division encounter as they seek to continue their much improved form.
The Highwaymen are unbeaten in the last three games and will look to add to Radcliffe’s current stuttering run of results.
FORM GUIDE
Morpeth: The Highwaymen did what was required to win at Newcastle Benfield during the week. The result made it two wins and a draw from their last three, with two cleansheets to go with it.
Radcliffe: Radcliffe have won one of their last five league games, and were dumped out of the County Cup by Ashton Athletic on penalties. A tough sequence of fixtures, they beat FC United but have lost to South Shields and Warrington Rylands, as well as drawing with Lancaster City and Matlock Town.
LAST TIME OUT
Morpeth secured safe passage into the semi-finals of the Techflow Marine Senior Cup thanks to a 1-0 win over Newcastle Benfield. On a difficult pitch, Andrew Johnson scored the only goal of the game on five minutes, dispatching an effort after being played through on goal.
A spirited Benfield rarely troubled the Highwaymen, who managed the game throughout and saw it through to a victorious conclusion.
Radcliffe were two to the good against Lancaster City when Brewster and Navarro put their side in a commanding position by the 68th minute in midweek. But they couldn’t hold on as Connelly reduced the deficit on 76 minutes and then Carsley equalised with nine minutes to go.
THE GAFFER
Morpeth Town boss Craig Lynch believes his side, despite the break last Saturday due to a frozen pitch at Bamber Bridge, will be ready to build on a draw and a win most recently in the league.
“Radcliffe have had a total rebuild from last season and are a very strong side in the league,” he told the Highwaymen match day programme.
“I feel we let ourselves down at their place earlier in the season and need to put that right this time around.
“We have had two good results and need to build on them and start to push back up the league.”
Radcliffe boss Bobby Grant wants his side to maintain performance levels for the full 90 minutes after a disappointing midweek draw with Lancaster.
“I thought we did a job for 75 minutes but the last 15 minutes were unacceptable,” he said.
“We’ve thrown two goals away at home. There’s 11 men on the pitch who have to take responsibility for that.
“It isn’t even a good point on the board because we should be coming in with three points.
“We go to Morpeth to win the game. If we play the way we did for 70 minutes on Tuesday then we’ll be ok but it will have to be for 95.”
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale on the day, on the gate (cash only) with the following categories:
Adults – £12
Concessions – £8
Kids – £4
Under-5s – FREE
