Pic: George Davidson

Jack Foalle marked his home debut with a brace as Morpeth comfortably dispatched of Gresley at Craik Park in Evo-Stik East.

Foalle, in only his second game for the Highwaymen, scored his first goal in fine style and then added a second in simpler fashion. Ben Sayer netted a third just after half-time but Martin Smyth reduced the deficit with a free-kick seconds later. But Morpeth wouldn’t be stopped as Tom Potter netted just after the hour-mark, before adding another in stoppage time.

Morpeth started brightly and set about their visitors, who had struggled through A1 diversions to be at Craik Park.

Ben Sayer was seeing plenty of the ball early on but it was new signing Foalle who nodded the first chance wide from 12 yards. Sayer then side-footed an effort off the mark, when dinked in by David Carson, as the Highwaymen started with purpose and intensity.

The pressure continued to build and Town’s next chance came in the 16th minute but Gresley keeper Ben Allsop did just enough to push a rising Foalle shot on the turn over the bar.

With Gresley grumbling about a denied penalty shout just before the half-hour mark, Morpeth strode up the other end and perhaps should have had one of their own when Potter was floored. Again, referee Jonny Irwin, waved away the appeals.

But Morpeth wouldn’t be denied on 32 minutes, as Foalle netted a superb goal, turning and curling an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

Pressing high and hassling with intensity, Morpeth were all over Gresley and should have doubled their advantage on 36 minutes, but Sayer’s long-range rocket was pushed clear by a full-stretch, and increasingly over-worked, Allsop.

The keeper could do nothing on 43 minutes though, as Foalle once again found the net with a more routine strike. The former Whitley Bay man, who had already netted 17 in 15 for Bay before joining Morpeth, side-footed at the back post after superb wing play from Potter to get to the by-line and pick out the forward.

Morpeth were by no means settling at two and could have made it 3-0 on 44 minutes, but Wayne Phillips’ shot across goal was pushed clear by Allsop before being smuggled further clear by a desperate Gresley back-line.

The visitors knew they needed more in the second half and could have reduced the arrears but for a superb save from Dan Lowson in the Morpeth goal in the early stages of the second half.

That save proved the precursor to the hosts taking a three-goal lead, Sayer’s 53rd minute free-kick sneaking in at the back post after missing everyone. Seconds later and Gresley scored from a set-piece of their own, Smyth expertly curling an effort into the top corner from 25 yards.

Town, though, were in a position of strength still and found a fourth soon after conceding. Potter was the man to score a superb goal, arching a shot into the top corner in the 63rd minute as the Highwaymen dominated.

The midfielder then added a second in stoppage time, finding the bottom corner to seal a comfortable win for a Morpeth Town team who remained top of the division.

Morpeth are next in action at home to Belper Town on Saturday (3pm), in an Evo-Stik East encounter not to be missed.

MORPETH TOWN: Lowson; Danny Carson, Jeff Henderson (Turner 84), Petrache, Reid; Hodgson, David Carson, Sayer (Graydon 71); Potter, Foalle, Phillips (capt).

SUBS NOT USED: Fry, Turnbull, Pickering.

GOALS: Foalle (32, 43), Sayer (53), Potter (63, 90).

GRESLEY FC: Allsop; Branch (capt), Harrison, Albert Lansdowne, Jellyman, Morgan (McIntosh 70), Steele, Graves, Smyth, O’Connell, Harry Lansdowne (Steadman 30).

SUBS NOT USED: Riddell, Lee.

GOALS: Smyth (54)

ATT: 411