Picture: George Davidson

Ten-man Morpeth Town dug deep to claim a priceless win at the expense of title rivals Shildon.

The Highwaymen were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when Chris Reid was given a second yellow card. But that didn’t stop the home side from gaining the win, with Liam Henderson netting a decisive 73rd minute winner.

Jordan Fry was restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Luke Carr as Town looked to build on a four-game winning streak. They knew they were in for a tough test as the best away side in the division were making their way to Craik Park, with Shildon recording seven wins from seven on their travels this season.

With Morpeth having lost only once at home in Division One during the current campaign, it was a case of the irresistible versus the unstoppable on a bright, sunny afternoon in Northumberland.

Neither side got off to a dominant start, but Billy Greulich-Smith, with 12 goals to his name already, had the first sighter of goal, sending an eighth minute shot across the box and comfortably wide of the far post.

Strike partner Adam Burnicle then went closer to breaking the deadlock on 20 minutes, but after cutting inside and firing into the side-netting, it was a chance created, and missed, by the forward.

In a highly competitive contest, the next notable action involved a Morpeth dismissal as Reid was shown a 39th minute red card for two yellows in seven minutes.

The home side struggled to impose themselves in the final third, with Wayne Phillips’ inviting cross to the back post finding no-one in the 43rd minute, symbolic of a frustrating opening half.

Although the hosts started brighter in the second period, it was Shildon who created two golden opportunities in the 54th minute. First, Jack Blackford rattled the bar with a rising drive before Greulich-Smith found himself free in the six-yard box after Karl Dryden palmed away a cross. But his header, thankfully, was well wide when he should have scored.

With Henderson ploughing a lone furrow up front, 10-men Town were looking to counter whenever possible.

It proved effective as they gained a precious 73rd minute advantage through the persistence of Henderson. The striker, after forcing a low save from Nick Liversedge seconds earlier, latched on to a loose ball in the six-yard box – from the resulting corner – to turn and fire in from four yards.

With a fraught 17 minutes left, Shildon went in search of an equaliser. It looked like it had arrived on 77 minutes following the rampaging run of Matty Robson down the left. His cut-back was drilled low by Marc Ellison but Danny Carson superbly blocked and cleared for a corner.

Henderson could have added a decisive second on 81 minutes, but his rising drive at the near post flew inches over the bar with Liversedge beaten.

As Morpeth looked to counter, Shildon tried desperately to find a way through without success. But as they left themselves exposed defensively, that lead to gaps.

One such gap was exploited down the right flank by Stephen Forster in stoppage time. However he was cynically taken down by Robson who was sent off for an undoubted second yellow card.

A superb, battling victory sets The Highwaymen up nicely for a trip to Ashton Athletic in the FA Vase on Saturday (3pm).

MORPETH TOWN: Dryden, Forster, Reid, Carson, Turner; Turnbull (Coppen 45), Graydon (C), Taylor; Phillips, Henderson (Davison 82), Fry.

SUBS NOT USED: Carr, Walton.

GOALS: Henderson (73)

SHILDON: Liversedge, Groves, Robson, Ellison, Moore, Curl (Rae 67), Harwood (C), Hodgson, Burnicle, Greulich-Smith, Blackford.

SUBS NOT USED: Peacock, Fenton, Dodds, Turnbull.

GOALS:

ATT: 330