A Ben Sayer brace helped the Highwaymen reach the Quarter-Finals of the Northumberland Senior Cup in a 3-2 win over Whitley Bay at Craik Park.
Alex Kempster opened the scoring as the visitors took the lead on 19 minutes, but the hosts pegged them back through substitute Joe Walton on the stroke of half time.
Sayer’s brace, including one from the penalty spot, put Morpeth 3-1 ahead before a late Callum Patton free-kick completed the scoring.
Morpeth started brightly and went close with seven minutes played, Paul Robinson’s mazy run ended with a shot on goal, turned away by Tom Flynn.
Three minutes later Keith Graydon tried his luck from long range, his effort off target.
As the game wore on the visitors came to life, in the 14th minute Alex Kempster curled a free-kick over the wall, but straight at Karl Dryden.
Bay followed this up a minute later by finding the back of the net, Kemspter again the threat as he finished well past Dryden, the offside flag long up, however.
At the other end left-back Michael Turner latched on to a Sean Taylor pass, and hit a rasping effort from an acute angle just wide.
The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Josh Nearney played Kempster in down the right. He advanced into the penalty area before lashing an effort in off Dryden’s right hand upright.
Morpeth built their way back into the game, with Sayer finding a lot of room in between the lines of Whitley Bay’s defence and midfield. In the 32nd minute he tested Flynn with a long range effort.
Flynn was on hand again five minutes later when Robinson jinked his way past two defenders before striking on goal, a low save pushing the ball behind.
Two efforts from recent signing Mark Davison followed, but failed to test the ‘keeper.
In the 44th minute Flynn made an unbelievable save to deny Matthew Grieve. His header, destined for the top left hand corner, was clawed away at the last second.
In injury time Morpeth got the equaliser their play deserved. Jordan Fry’s strike from the edge of the area was aimed for the left hand corner of Flynn’s goal.
The ‘keeper looked to be behind the shot, but substitute Walton ran on to the strike, heading the ball into the opposite corner.
Morpeth dominated the play in second period, and had multiple golden chances in the opening quarter of an hour.
A long range Sayer volley from 25 yards out was tipped away by Flynn in the 50th minute, before Davison headed over a corner in the 56th minute.
Flynn denied Robinson once again in the 59th minute. At the other end Adam Shanks had the chance to restore the visitors lead when a Morpeth defender slipped, but he missed an open goal.
Two minutes later, the Highwaymen had the lead. Sayer found space on the edge of the area and guided the ball across the ‘keeper and into the far left hand corner of the net.
Within 60 seconds, it could have been 3-1, Robinson heading a Turner cross goalwards, Flynn somehow saving on the line, a defender clearing the rebound.
With 71 minutes on the clock Morpeth were awarded a penalty, Paul Robinson pushed over in the area.
Sayer stepped up, rifling the ball over the dive of Flynn and into the top right hand corner.
Morpeth continued to control the play, but as the final five minute approached, Whitley Bay went close.
Andy Robertson’s quick feet in the area allowed the substitute to strike on goal, his shot cannoning of the upright.
In the 89th minute the visitors pulled a goal back with a long range free-kick, former Highwaymen Callum Patton guiding a 30+ yard free-kick into the bottom right hand corner.
Town managed to hold out for a place in the last eight draw, which will take place of Football Matters next Wednesday at 9.30pm.
Morpeth Town: Dryden, Forster, Turner, Sayer, Grieve, Reid, Taylor (Walton), Graydon (C), Davison (Henderson), Fry, Robinson (S Anderson)
Not Used: Provett, Halambiec
Whitley Bay: Flynn, Nearny, Munro (Powell), Wilkinson, Allen, C Anderson (Patton), Fryatt, Fowler (C), Shanks, Haley (Robertson), Kempster
Not Used: Gibson, McDonald
Referee:
Assistants:
Attendance:
Photo: CJC Photo/Chris Chambers (Official Morpeth Town Photographer)
