By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)

Mark Davison scored for the second game running as Morpeth Town beat Northern League Division Two outfit, Blyth AFC, 1-0 at South Newsham.

The visitors started quickly and were on the front foot throughout the first-half, Davison curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the area on 33 minutes.

After a dominant first 45 minutes, where Morpeth restricted the hosts to just one half chance, the Braves came out strong in the second-half.

Mick Connor and Andy Bowman’s side went close on a few occasions, but the Highwaymen managed to hang on for the victory.

Morpeth aren’t in action now until next Tuesday, where they travel to Croft Park to face National League North side, Blyth Spartans.

The first ever meeting between the two sides came last December, where Morpeth won 3-0, and it was the Highwaymen that started on the front foot.

From the start, the visitors had the Braves on the back foot, and the first chance fell on nine minutes – Luke Carr struck Michael Turner’s pull-back over the bar.

The playmaker curled a free-kick just wide of the post on 15 minutes, before Blyth ‘keeper Chris Bannon produced a brilliant save to keep the game at 0-0.

More chances fell Morpeth’s way, with Ben Sayer going close from open play and also from a set-piece.

Nick Gray and Dave Malone’s side produced a swift counter attack just before the half-hour mark, Carr dribbled his way into the box and his shot was saved down low by Bannon.

The pressure finally took its toll on 33 minutes, with the Highwaymen breaking the deadlock through Davison, who curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Davison went close to doubled the scoreline, while Blyth’s first chance was lofted over the bar on 38 minutes.

Carr’s ball back across the box found Keith Graydon, whose shot was blocked brilliantly near the goal line, while Blyth’s first real shot in anger, on the stroke of half-time, went just wide of the post.

The visitors would’ve felt that they should’ve been ahead by more at half-time, but the hosts came out after the break quickly.

Substitute Zak Atkinson tested Dryden, before his shot was blocked by Michael Turner a minute later.

Ryan McGorrigan lashed the ball across goal and wide on 52 minutes, and the Braves had created more chances in the first seven minutes of the second half than they did in the entire first half.

Morpeth’s first chance of the second-half came just after the hour mark, Wayne Phillips handed the ball off to Chris Reid, who went on a bursting run from halfway before striking across goal and just wide.

Ben Richardson’s ball over the top was latched onto by Dean Walker, whose cross was pushed away by Dryden, just ahead of the Blyth man.

The follow up was swept over the bar by Andrew Buford, while the hosts continued to search for an equaliser – and looked impressive at times.

Graydon curled a free-kick at goal, with Blyth’s ‘keeper saving the effort, and the hosts had a chance in additional time to snatch a draw.

The ball broke to Lee Middleton on the edge of the area, and the defender lofted his effort wide of the post.

Davison’s first-half strike turned out to be decisive and Morpeth now turn their attention to a very important week ahead – with the side playing Blyth Spartans before the JR Cleator Cup game with North Shields.

Blyth AFC: Bannon, Watson, Harvey, Richardson, Middleton, Tait, McGorrigan, Robinson, Atkinson (Bulford, 46), McRoberts (Walker, 46), Taylor

Morpeth Town: Dryden, Forster, Turner, Sayer (Johnson, 58), Coppen (Hiftle, 46), Carson (Reid, 46), Taylor (Walton, 58), Graydon, Davison (Henderson, 58), Fry (Woodhouse, 78), Carr (Phillips, 58)

Goal: 0-1, 33 min, Davison

Attendance: 124