EBAC Northern League Division One

Morpeth Town 4-2 Penrith

Reid 2, Sayer, Taylor (pen); Robley, Main

Morpeth Town won back to back league games for the first time since November 14th in a 4-2 win over Penrith at Craik Park on Saturday.

Adam Robley had given the visitors an early lead, but goals on the brink of half-time from Chris Reid and Ben Sayer but the Highwaymen ahead.

Reid added a third just after the hour mark, but Penrith pulled one back through Adam Main to leave a nervy final few minutes.

However, Dale Pearson was dragged down in the penalty area, William Paul shown a straight red before Sean Taylor converted the penalty.

Nick Gray and Dave Malone made three changes from the side that was defeated in the Northumberland Senor Cup against North Shields, Chris Reid replacing James Novak, while Luke Carr and Jordan Fry came into midfield for Shaun Bell and Dale Pearson.

It was Carr who had the first opportunity of the game after Stephen Forster won a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielders curling effort ran just wide of Aaran Taylor’s right hand post.

The Highwaymen were dealt a cruel blow in the 18th minute when Reid failed to deal with a long back out of the Penrith defence. His back-pass fell short of the mark allowing Robley to fire low past Karl Dryden to give the Bonny Blues the lead.

Morpeth almost replied immediately, Reid’s left wing throw was glanced on by Michael Chilton into the path of Taylor, he rounded the ‘keeper before rolling the ball to Carr who tried to score through a sea of bodies on the line, a last ditch slide keeping the visitors ahead.

Town began to crank up the pressure, a 35-yard effort from Michael Hall sailed over the bar before Michael Chilton netted a Keith Graydon, the referee calling for a foul on the ‘keeper Taylor when he wasn’t touched.

As the rain began to come down at Craik Park, Morpeth looked more and more likely to net the equaliser. Sayer’s short corner found Keith Graydon on the edge of the area, the Town captain’s shot deflected wide of the mark.

With six minute remaining in the period, Morpeth won a corner. The right wing set-piece was whipped in left footed by Carr, Reid making amends for his earlier mistake, netting from six yards out with his head via a deflection.

Within five minutes, on the stroke of half-time, the Highwaymen took the lead. Sayer picked up a loose clearing header by Paul, he took a touch before beating a man with skill and unleashing a 25 yard piledriver off the crossbar and into the back of the net.

The second half started how the first finished, Morpeth in the ascendency. Forster going close early in proceedings, is mazy right wing run allowed him to shoot across goal, narrowly wide of the target. Penrith’s best chance being a 20 yard free-kick that was claimed low by Dryden.

An extravagant bicycle kick soon followed, Graydon’s cross hit wide by Taylor. Next to go close was Chilton, he headed a Carr cross from the right off the crossbar and out for a goal kick, Morpeth turning the screw yet again.

 

Taylor did well to deny his namesake on 65 minutes, Sayer’s delightful chipped through back falling to an onrushing Sean Taylor, his lobbed effort swiped away by the right hand of Aaran Taylor. The rebound fell to Carr who had his shot blocked on the line once again.

The elusive third game in the 70th minute. An almost carbon-copy of the first as Reid headed Carr’s right wing corner into the back of the net, this time without the aid of a deflection.

At that point the game became scrappier, and the visitors were handed a lifeline on 75 minutes, Main turning on halfway before rushing towards goal, beating two defenders and shooting low past the despairing dive of Dryden.

But the game was decided in the first minute of injury time, Dale Pearson’s run was picked out by the pass of Jordan Fry, Paul dragging the striker down and given his marching orders.

Sean Taylor stepped up and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, finishing what quite possibly should have been a rout.