By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)

Michael Chilton struck a second-half hat-trick as Morpeth Town thrashed West Allotment Celtic 8-0 in difficult conditions at Craik Park – their biggest result in over four years.

Sean Taylor broke the deadlock on 33 minutes before Keith Graydon’s penalty and Ben Sayer’s strike handed complete control to the hosts at half-time.

Chilton scored the first of his goals when he lobbed the ball over Joel Stoneman, and the forward headed home five minutes later.

Taylor scored the goal of the season just seconds after the restart when he found the top corner from just inside the West Allotment area.

Mark Davison’s strike was followed by Chilton’s third as Morpeth found the net five times in a 16-minute period at the end of the second-half.

The Highwaymen came into the game having seen off a resilient Sunderland RCA during the week, but it was their opponents who had the first opening of the game.

David Henderson drove across goal and wide, and the hosts then found their feet and went close through Walton and Sayer.

However, the deadlock was eventually broken just after the half-hour mark when Taylor found the roof of the net from inside the penalty area.

Walton appeared to be barged off the ball in the area three minutes later and play was waved on, but seconds after that Liam Henderson was pushed over and a penalty was awarded.

Graydon stepped up and found the bottom corner with the spot-kick, and Allotment had a chance to pull a goal back two minutes later.

Tony Stephenson was played through on goal, but Karl Dryden denied the forward with a sublime reaction save, and Morpeth broke forward and punished the missed chance.

A swift break seen Sayer pick up the ball and drive a ferocious shot towards goal, and the ball sailed over J.Stoneman and into the net – Morpeth’s third goal in seven first-half minutes.

The hosts came close to inflicting further damage when Henderson’s drilled effort was well saved and Walton’s volley was gathered low by the Allotment ‘keeper.

Chilton was denied by a good save 11 minutes after half-time, and Henderson took the ball wide in the area and his shot was scrambled off the line.

During a dominant period, Morpeth had further opportunities to add to their tally, and Taylor rattled the crossbar from a tight angle.

A fourth goal soon followed when Henderson brought Sayer’s ball over the top down and handed the ball to Chilton, who lobbed the approaching ‘keeper.

The floodgates opened and the hosts turned it on – Davison, who had been on the pitch a matter of seconds, found Chilton at the back post, and the forward headed into the bottom corner.

Seconds after Allotment restarted the game, Taylor picked up the ball just inside the opposition half and found the top corner with a Beckham-esque finish.

Davison showed great composure to slide under the ‘keeper for Morpeth’s seventh and the goal flurry was completed five minutes later.

Denver Morris drove inside and pulled the ball back to the unmarked Chilton, who took the ball in his stride and found the net for his hat-trick.

Davison was denied a second of the game in additional time, but the result was Morpeth’s biggest win since their 9-1 drubbing of Darlington RA back in January 2013.

Morpeth Town: Dryden, Forster, Novak, Sayer, Turner, Reid, Taylor (Morris, 84), Graydon, Henderson (Davison, 76), Chilton, Walton (Robinson, 80)

Subs Not Used: Hall, Fry

West Allotment Celtic: J.Stoneman, M.Stephenson (Douglas, 17), Hall, Pendlebury, P.Stoneman, P.Stoneman Jnr, McGlen, Allen (Reay, 60), T.Stephenson (Parkinson, 74), Henderson, Edwards

Subs Not Used: Young, Hudson

Goals: 1-0, 33 min, Taylor; 2-0, 36 min, Graydon (Pen); 3-0, 40 min, Sayer; 4-0, 72 min, Chilton; 5-0, 78 min, Chilton; 6-0, 79 min, Taylor; 7-0, 84 min, Davison; 8-0, 89 min, Chilton

Referee: Stephen Dial

Assistants: Givi Todua and David Watson

Attendance: 101