FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Morpeth Town 4-1 Padiham
By Stuart Dick at Craik Park
Morpeth Town’s FA Vase campaign got off to a good start with a comfortable 4-1 win over Padiham FC at Craik Park on Saturday Afternoon.
Dan Taggart, Sean Taylor, Michael Chilton and skipper Keith Graydon netted for the Highwaymen who never needed to get out of first gear to beat their opposition from Lancashire, a Keiron Pickup penalty the only blip in a routine performance.
Morpeth made just one change from the side that beat Shildon 1-0 on Bank Holiday Monday, Chris Swailes coming in for the injured Michael Hall.
The home side put pressure on their North West Counties League side from the kick-off, Ben Sayer firing narrowly wide after just 15 seconds. Sixty seconds later Sayer tried his luck again, hitting a fizzing effort from the edge of the area just over the crossbar.
Padiham were screaming for a penalty minutes later, Alexander Murphy going down rather too easily after a James Novak shoulder charge.
In the fifth minute some sharp thinking by Graydon found Taylor on the left with a quick free-kick, Taylor in turn found Taggart in the area whose first time effort hit the side netting.
The visitors were appealing for a foul again in the lead up to Morpeth’s first goal, again Murphy going down with very little contact. From the challenge Sayer picked up the ball just outside of his own penalty area. The midfielder pinged a 70 yard ball over the Padiham defence into the path of Taggart who guided a chip over Sean Davis’ head and into the net, despite the desperate attempts from the goalkeeper.
It should have been 2-0 five minute later, this time Taylor beating the Padiham backline with a long diagonal ball, Taggart rounding the ‘keeper and slotting home, only for the referee to blow up for a high foot against Taggart, a poor decision in truth.
The onslaught continued, another quick Graydon free-kick picked out Novak on the left, his cross was played into the path of Taylor eight yards out who stung the goalkeeper’s palms with a vicious effort.
The home side were denied a penalty two minutes later, Jordan Fry reaching a Novak corner first, only to be wiped out by Davis after the ball had been headed. The visitors were clamouring for a penalty of their own on 25 minutes, Sean Cookson firing wide as Karl Dryden closed him down, taking out the wingers feet as the ball trickled wide.
Town’s second came a minute later. A quick Taylor throw-in saw Sayer and Graydon combine well to play in Taylor who fired low into the bottom right hand corner, the ball hitting the stanchion and coming back into play. Players and fans alike were screaming that the ball had gone over the line, and after consultation with his assistant the referee awarded the goal, to the protests of the Padiham players.
Within a minute, the visitors nearly pulled a goal back, Chris Turner’s curling free-kick headed onto the crossbar by Curtis Haley. The visitors came into the game during the final 15 minutes of the first half and went close again when Haley played an excellent through ball into the path of Murphy, but Dryden smothered at the strikers’ feet. 2-0 the half time score.
The Highwaymen pressed hard in the opening salvos of the second period, Graydon going close with a 25 yard effort soon after the re-start. Taggart should have doubled his individual tally on 52 minutes after some flowing interplay down the right Graydon curled a through ball with the outside of his boot into the stride of the Morpeth striker who slid his effort wide.
The visitors occasionally threatened, a Chris Turner free-kick was picked up by substitute Alex Ralph 12 yard out, but his effort was hit directly at Dryden who saved comfortably.
Padiham put together a period of pressure in the following few minutes as Morpeth sat back.
A right wing corner fell to Andrew Hill in the middle of the penalty area, but his effort was cleared off the line by David Hiftle.
The visitors had failed to make their chances pay, and Morpeth capitalised, adding a third with a sublime move. Shaun Henderson picked out the run of Ben Sayer with a 50 yard lofted ball, Sayer dropping the ball off to Taylor on the right. The forward crossed early for Michael Chilton eight yards out who fired a first time effort into the roof of the net.
Novak went close to adding a fourth within three minutes, a right wing free-kick from 25 yards out was hit left footed by the full-back and was destined for the top right hand corner, forcing a fantastic diving save from Davis.
The visitors were awarded a lifeline when Sayer fouled Kieron Pickup in the area. The Padiham No.9 dusted himself off and stepped up and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, making it 3-1. Substitute Hill narrowly fired over a left wing cross minutes later, which would have left a nervy last 15 minutes.
Despite pressure from the visitors, they couldn’t muster any attempts on goal and Morpeth looked to hit them on the counter. A Taylor cross was almost diverted into his own net by Lee Botham on 82 minutes.
Morpeth did add a fourth with just second remaining in normal time, Steven Anderson breaking down the left crossing for Lee McAndrew whose dummy left Graydon to tap in at the back post unmarked.
A comfortable win for the Highwaymen who will now face the winner of the replay between Alnwick Town and Billingham Synthonia to be played Tuesday evening. The next game for Morpeth a derby game against Bedlington Terriers, a 7.30pm Kick-Off on Wednesday Evening.
