By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)

Morpeth Town produced a stellar performance to beat Scottish Lowland League side Hawick Royal Albert 5-1 in their second pre-season friendly.

Sean Taylor and Michael Chilton struck inside the opening 15 minutes of the game as the visitors looked comfortable and untroubled.

Keith Graydon scored a stunning strike just over a minute after half-time, while goals from Brandon Williams and Chris Reid followed.

The latter turned into his own net emphatically just six minutes after scoring at the right end, but it really was a flawless performance.

The Highwaymen arrived at Albert Park with high morale following a fine display against Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, and they went ahead inside the first five minutes.

Graydon’s ball into the box was cleared as far as Taylor, who was lurking on the edge of the area, and he drilled his shot low into the bottom corner.

Morpeth would have doubled their lead three minutes later if it wasn’t for a backtracking defender, who managed to clear an effort off the line.

However, it didn’t take long for the visitors to assure their dominance, as they made Hawick pay for giving the ball away deep inside their own half.

Taylor’s curling effort was pushed up by Kyle Rankine, only for prolific goalscorer Michael Chilton to head the ball into an empty net.

The Highwaymen continued to control the game and eased into half-time with the two-goal advantage, and keeper Karl Dryden didn’t have a save to make.

Nick Gray and Dave Malone made a double change at the break, but it didn’t affect the flow of the game, in fact, it did the opposite and they found a third goal shortly after the restart.

Graydon picked up the ball 25-yards from goal and after taking a touch he rifled the ball into the top corner, past the helpless keeper.

Hawick’s first chance of the game came on 49 minutes, but it was a chance from distance from Kris Mitchell, which sailed over the bar.

Taylor turned provider for the fourth goal of the match, his cross was heading for Chilton, but after the forward was dragged to the floor, Williams came sweeping in to hit home from close range.

Dryden’s only save of the match came when Daryl Johnson’s shot, which was heading for the bottom corner, forced the keeper into making a diving stop.

Despite the sudden resurgence of the hosts, goal number five came on 65 minutes, and what a goal it was from defender Reid.

The full-back picked up the ball near the halfway line and drove at goal, and after cruising past the defender as if he wasn’t there, he neatly slotted into the bottom corner.

Morpeth looked like they were going to carry out the complete performance with goals and a clean-sheet to their name, until a freak moment of madness 16 minutes from time.

Substitute Mark Smith dug out a looping cross, which Morpeth defender Reid tried to acrobatically clear, but the ball ended up sailing over the keeper and into his own net.

The Highwaymen saw out the remaining minutes of the game and they now move onto Saturday’s match with Scottish Lowland League side Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Hawick RA: Rankine, Begbie (Pettigrew 80), Spence, Boyd, Darling, Conaghan, Meikle, Johnson (Smith 61), Morris, Mitchell, McParlin

Subs Not Used: McKenzie

Morpeth Town: Dryden (Harrison 69), Hall (Grieve 46), Reid, Fondato, Swailes, Johnson (Lay 46), Taylor (Carr 69), Graydon, Forster, Chilton (Henderson 69), Williams

Goals: 0-1, 5 min, Taylor; 0-2, 15 min, Chilton; 0-3, 47 min, Graydon; 0-4, 53 min, Williams; 0-5, 65 min, Reid; 1-5, 74 min, Reid (O/G)

Referee: Iain Snedden

Assistants: Frank Campbell and Gary Callaghan

Attendance: 46

Photos: Chris Chambers (CJCPhoto.co.uk)