By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)
Morpeth Town were held to a 2-2 draw by current Northern League Division One champions Shildon in an eventful night at Dean Street.
Liam Henderson handed the visitors the lead on the half-hour mark before Matty Robson struck home from the penalty spot three minutes later.
Morpeth regained the lead six minutes after half-time when Sean Taylor tapped into an empty net after Shildon’s Nick Liversedge and James Harwood collided.
Chris Reid was penalised for a handball in the area, which handed the hosts another lifeline and Robson sent Karl Dryden the wrong way to earn the hosts a point.
The Highwaymen remain in fourth position, with two games in hand on the Railwaymen and welcome West Auckland Town to Craik Park on Saturday.
Nick Gray and Dave Malone’s side arrived late at the ground, through no fault of their own, and were handed 15 minutes to get changed, warm-up and line-up for the match.
Shildon came close to breaking the deadlock on eight minutes when Adam Burnicle brought the ball down, rounded the ‘keeper and struck at goal, but his shot was cleared off the line.
Billy Greulich-Smith saw an effort curl wide moments later, before Lewis Wing had a couple of chances to put the hosts ahead.
The first of which was a free-kick from 25-yards out, and Dryden done well to get down and push the ball away before the midfielder fizzed a shot just over the crossbar.
Morpeth continued to ease their way into the game and continued to weather the Shildon storm. Harwood headed wide and Wing missed another good chance before the visitors struck back.
The Highwaymen found themselves ahead when Keith Graydon threaded the ball through to Henderson, who took the ball round the approaching ‘keeper and stuck into the net from an acute angle.
However, the lead was short lived when Shildon were gifted a lifeline as the referee pointed to the penalty spot for an apparent foul in the area.
Robson stepped up and smashed the spot kick into the top corner and the hosts almost went into the break ahead when Burnicle was denied twice by Dryden from close range.
The visitors came firing out the blocks in the second-half and took the lead for the second time in the game on 51 minutes.
A delightful ball over the defence from Henderson made ‘keeper Liversedge and captain Harwood collide, which allowed Taylor to latch onto the loose ball and tap into an empty net.
Morpeth should have doubled their advantage when Henderson broke through on goal and squared the ball across to Walton, who was denied by a sublime save by Liversedge.
The wide man gathered the rebound and crossed for Henderson, who cut back inside onto his right foot and was fouled, but play continued.
Walton’s cross just a minute later was spilled out by Liversedge and Jordan Fry’s first-time effort was cleared off the line.
Greulich-Smith headed a corner off the post before Shildon had another chance to level the game from the penalty spot after Wing’s shot hit Reid’s arm in the area.
Robson made no mistake from the spot and Morpeth were pegged back for the second time – the game started to open up thereafter, but neither side could find a winner.
Shildon: Liversedge, Harwood, Robson, Dodds, Parker, Groves, Moore, Hodgson, Burnicle, Wing, Greulich-Smith
Subs Not Used: Rae, Connor, Ellison, Capper, Vincent
Morpeth Town: Dryden, Forster, Novak, Sayer, Reid, Turner, Taylor (Doninger, 90), Graydon, Fry, Henderson, Walton
Subs Not Used: Davison, Robinson, Anderson, Chilton
Goals: 0-1, 30 min, Henderson; 1-1, 33 min, Robson (Pen); 1-2, 51 min, Taylor; 2-2, 68 min, Robson (Pen)
Referee: John Matthews
Assistants: Ryan Steward and Matthew East
