Liam Henderson’s brace ensured Morpeth Town sealed three crucial points with a routine win at home to Team Northumbria in Division One.
Seeking to extend their lead at the top of the league, Morpeth raced out of the blocks and grasped the early initiative through Liam Henderson’s sixth minute goal. The forward then doubled his tally for the night midway through the second half as Town put the game to bed.
The Highwaymen were ahead as early as the sixth minute courtesy of Henderson’s opportunist strike, the forward challenging keeper Charles Murphy in the air following a Ben Sayer corner. The ball dropped kindly in the six-yard box and the forward back-heeled cleverly into the net for his first goal in five games, but strike number 20 for the season.
Although trailing, Team Northumbria were by no means feeling sorry for themselves and showed plenty going forward themselves. No more so than in the 12th minute when Ben Dibb-Fuller raced clear of the Town defence before rounding Karl Dryden. However, sheer persistence from Wayne Phillips saw the latter clear off the toes of the midfielder to deny a certain goal.
Morpeth were composed on the ball, showing a confidence which would stand them in good stead for the rest of the game. It was that ease in possession which created their next chance on 19 minutes as David Carson glided in off the left flank before sending a fizzing low drive toward the bottom corner. It was destined for the back of the net until Murphy pulled off a smart save to deny him.
Town showed that same composure on the ball in the second half, rarely looking flustered despite quick pressing from the visitors. It was a set-play, though, that would generate the next Morpeth opportunity, Sayer’s inch perfect in swinging free-kick from the right finding Mark Davison at the back post. However, the forward could only nod over as the chance went begging in the 53rd minute.
Chances were somewhat limited at this stage but Team North should have levelled in the 69th minute when Nicholas Green lashed a shot towards the near post following an over-hit cross. Dryden had other ideas though, getting down smartly to save.
It proved crucial as Morpeth doubled their lead two minutes later through that man Henderson once again. The striker, back on the goal trail, thumped a low drive on the turn into the bottom corner after a ball in the box fell invitingly for the forward. He did have the chance to register his hat-trick in stoppage time, but Henderson fired wide of the far post from close range.

It was a pivotal moment which ended the game as a contest and set the side up perfectly for a heavyweight clash at fellow title chasers Marske United on Thursday night.

MORPETH TOWN: Dryden; Forster, Danny Carson, Turner, McDonald; Sayer, Phillips, David Carson (Reid 75); Walton (Norris 81), Henderson, Davison (Taylor 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Coppen, Elliott.
GOALS: Henderson (6, 71)
TEAM NORTHUMBRIA: Murphy; Lowrie, Carr (McCarthy 90), Eleftheriadis (Richardson 71), Webster, Jewitt (Redford 83), Dibb-Fuller, Spence (capt), Taggart, Read, Green.
SUBS NOT USED: Djukic, Raby.
GOALS:
ATT:
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