EBAC Northern League Division One
Consett 2-5 Morpeth Town
Luke Sullivan 28, Danny Craggs 86; Lee McAndrew 50, Sean Taylor 54, 82, Michael Chilton 58, Ben Sayer 78
By Stuart Dick at Belle View Stadium
Morpeth Town produced their most emphatic win of the season with a 5-2 triumph over Consett on Tuesday Evening at Belle View Stadium.
After hitting the woodwork twice in the first half, Morpeth saw themselves go 1-0 down at the break as Luke Sullivan headed home for Consett.
Goals from Lee McAndrew, Michael Chilton, Ben Sayer and a brace from Sean Taylor in the second half secured the three points for the Highwaymen before Danny Craggs curled in a late free-kick to make it 5-2.
Morpeth made two changes to the side that beat Billingham at the weekend, Luke Carr and Steven Anderson came in to replace Keith Graydon and Jordan Fry. Sean Taylor given the captain’s armband while Jonny Wilson debuted on the bench.
On an extremely foggy night in Consett, Town were awarded a free-kick in the second minute, James Novak curling his effort just high and wide.
The visitors controlled the game well and looked the most likely to score early on, Taylor latching on to a Chilton knock down, his powerful strike saved by former Blyth Spartans goalkeeper Peter Jeffries.
The pressure continued, on fifteen minutes a long ball by Michael Hall allowed Chilton break behind the Consett back line, but he could only find the side netting with his effort.
The home side looked to play on the counter attack, a long range effort parried away by Karl Dryden, the fog making it difficult to pick out who took the shot.
Morpeth went close to taking the lead on 26 minutes, a quick counter-attack saw Steven Anderson pick up the ball on the right. He found Taylor on the edge of the area, hits first time effort cannoning off the bar.
From this attack Consett countered, Dean Briggs collecting the ball on the right, his wonderful diagonal ball finding the head of Luke Sullivan who nodded home past Dryden to put the hosts one goal to the good.
Morpeth responded well, Hall meeting a cross from the right, his headed effort smashing into the post. The rebound fell to him on the floor, he swung a leg forcing a goal line clearance. David Hiftle picked up the loose ball, but his attempt was blocked by a diving defender.
Another Novak free-kick on 38 minutes forced a diving save from Jeffries. Then on 42 minutes Hiftle found Chilton eight yard out with a lofted ball, the strikers’ effort straight at the Consett ‘keeper, 1-0 at the break to score remained.
Town came out strongly in the second period, and an eight minute spell turned the game on its head.
On 50 minutes Lee McAndrew picked up the ball on the left wing, he ran towards goal before taking aim from the edge of the area, his deflected effort nestled into the bottom right hand corner.
Four minutes later the Highwaymen took the lead. Chilton broke the offside trap and sprinted towards goal, making the ‘keeper commit before sliding the ball to an unmarked Taylor who tapped home from 5 yards into an empty net.
Within five minutes Town added to their lead, Stephen Forster breaking down the right wing, fizzing a cross into the six yard box where Chilton headed home.
Taylor went close to adding his second, and Morpeth’s fourth, soon after as he broke into the penalty area from the left wing, his one on one effort palmed wide by Jeffries.
A long goal kick from Jeffries nearly gave the hosts a route back into the game, the ball bounced in the Morpeth area, Dryden just about beating Michael Sweet to the ball on the dive.
Town eventually added to their lead on 78 minutes, Taylor’s cross cleared only as far as Ben Sayer on the edge of the area, he sold the defender with dummy shot with his right, cutting onto his left and rolling the ball into the bottom right corner.
Four minutes later it was 5-1, substitute Jordan Nellis latching on to a Chilton pass from the left, his bullet cross finished by Taylor past Jeffries.
The was still time for the hosts to pull back a conciliation, Danny Briggs free-kick deflecting off the Morpeth wall past Dryden and into the top left hand corner.
A fantastic display from the Highwaymen against a very strong Consett side, next up is a home game against Jarrow Roofing on Saturday at Craik Park.
