By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)

Liam Henderson scored four goals in the first-half as Morpeth Town ran out 6-0 winners against Willington in their final pre-season match at Wheatridge Park.

Henderson’s first came after eight minutes, before he added a further three before 34 minutes during a dominant first-half.

Sean Taylor produced a fine finish on 57 minutes and an own goal ended the scoring just after the hour mark.

Nick Gray and Dave Malone will be more than pleased with their side going into next Saturday’s curtain raiser against Seaham Red Star in the FA Cup.

The Highwaymen smashed 10 goals past Walker Central just 48 hours prior to their match with Willington, and they managed to open the scoring in the opening exchanges.

Chris Reid burst down the flank and played a low cross through a crowd of players and Henderson produced a neat finish into the bottom corner.

Karl Dryden produced a good save from Luke Black’s effort, but the visitors went close against on 16 minutes when James Seymour struck the foot of the post with a header.

Taylor struck the side-netting with a free-kick and moments later the Highwaymen doubled their advantage.

Reid broke forward once again, and the full-back played a delightful cross to the back post, and Henderson followed in and fired past the keeper.

Morpeth could have gone three-up when Steven Anderson forced Luke Cowie into a low save, but their third followed soon after.

Taylor, who was played through after a pin-point pass from Ben Sayer, drove at goal and played the ball across to Henderson for a tap-in from close range.

Damen Mullen combined with the forward six minutes later for Henderson and Morpeth’s fourth, as the summer-signing slid the ball through the keepers’ legs.

Paul Robinson and Jim Provett replaced Henderson and Dryden at half-time, and it took time for both sides to settle again, but the hosts soon found another goal.

Taylor latched onto a brilliant reverse pass, which cut the defence open, and the wide man dinked the ball over the approaching keeper and into the net.

Seven minutes later Matty Grieve headed Sayer’s dinked cross off the far post and the ball bounced off the back of Williamson on the line and in to his misfortune.

That was it in terms of goals, but both sides had further chances going into the closing stages of the match.

Keith Graydon came close with two chances from outside the area, with the latter of the two forcing Cowie into making a diving stop.

Half-time substitute Jim Provett rolled the ball out to Michael Brown in between those chances, but the forward wasted a glorious chance as he blazed over unmarked.

The Highwaymen wrapped up their pre-season by scoring 16 goals in their final two matches, while they kept clean-sheets in both games.

Morpeth: Dryden (Provett, 46), Fry (Fondato, 72), Reid (A Trialist, 72), Johnson (Novak, 43), Grieve, Mullen (Hall, 72), Taylor (Forster, 72), Sayer, Henderson (Robinson, 46), Anderson (Williams, 72), Bell (Graydon 62)

Willington: Cowie, Mohamed, Iley, Comby, Weston (Hunter, 46), G.Brown, Black, Seymour, Preston, M.Brown, Williamson (Telfer, 79)

Subs Not Used: Milner

Goals: 1-0, 8 min, Henderson. 2-0, 20 min, Henderson. 3-0, 28 min, Henderson. 4-0, 34 min, Henderson. 5-0, 57 min, Taylor. 6-0, 64 min, Own Goal.