Preview: Morpeth Town vs Whitley Bay

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Morpeth Town play host to Whitley Bay in a Techflow Marine Senior Cup semi-final with plenty riding on the outcome.

For the victors, a chance at a trophy remains alive for the season and a showpiece occasion at St James’ Park. For the losers, it’s the end of the road.

FORM GUIDE

Morpeth: The Highwaymen haven’t enjoyed cup competitions this season, with this being their fifth knock-out game across the FA Cup, FA Trophy, and Senior Cup. They’ve won once in four outings but will be hoping to use home form to good effect against Whitley Bay. Nine of their 12 league victories have arrived on home turf.

Whitley Bay: Unpredictable form makes Whitley Bay a bit of an unknown quantity of late, with three defeats in their last six, and only two wins. Their goalless draw last time out was their first of the campaign.

LAST TIME OUT

Morpeth Town produced a stirring comeback to drag themselves from 2-0 down against Stalybridge Celtic and seal three precious points. Celtic took the lead on nine minutes with a defensive error seeing the ball roll across the line before Dan Lowson could clear. Despite Theo Bailey-Jones being dismissed for the visitors for two yellow cards in the space of two minutes just before half-time, they went further in front through Domaine Rouse’s excellent volley. But once Fenton John reduced the deficit on 55 minutes, Morpeth laid siege to the visitors’ goal, Ben Sayer equalising with a swirling free-kick before Ryan Donaldson broke their resistance with five minutes to go.

In comparison, a far less entertaining encounter unfolded at Guisborough where Whitley Bay visited and earned a share of the spoils with a 0-0 draw. Far from an easy place to go in Northern League days gone by, that logic proved no different in the current campaign with Bay probably content with a point.

THE GAFFER

Morpeth Town boss Craig Lynch is eager to see his side rewarded for their efforts against Stalybridge Celtic, with plenty of effort not being rewarded with points of late.

“I want to win the Senior Cup,” said Lynch.

“I definitely want to be in the final, I want to have the showpiece at St James’ at the end of the year. It has been an up and down season for the lads but to have that at the end would be brilliant.

“The circumstances make for a different game compared to normal with so many former Morpeth players involved.

“If we play like Saturday, we’ll be ok but we can’t let our standards drop.”

Whitley Bay manager Nick Gray has every confidence in his squad to pull of what would be something of an upset as Northern League Bay travel to NPL Premier Division Morpeth.

“We’re underdogs,” he said.

“If we play the game 10 times we’ll not get beat 10 times, I’m confident of that. We’re hoping one of those nights happens on Tuesday.

“Anything can happen in a cup game. We’re going to need a little bit of luck, but I know the pitch will suit us.”

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