Morpeth Town twice came from a goal down to earn a share of the spoils at Basford United in an entertaining 2-2 opening day draw in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
All the goals came in the first half with Jack Thomas starting the scoring for the home side on seven minutes before Andrew Johnson cancelled that out on 27 minutes. Remaye Campbell but his side back in front four minutes later, but Chris Reid equalised in the second minute of added time to restore parity.
On a breezy, rain soaked, blazing sunshine kind of afternoon in Nottinghamshire, Morpeth faced one of their longest away trips of the campaign first out of the blocks. Starting five of their new signings, with one on the bench, it was a much-changed line-up that was missing Josh King, Connor Thomson, and Jack Foalle through injury while Jeff Henderson and Ben Sayer were unavailable.
They started fairly well, until a sloppy ball out of defence gifted the hosts the first goal of the afternoon. Thomas was the man to benefit, striding on to a loose pass to lash a low shot past keeper Dan Lowson and put his side in front.
The Highwaymen were rocked by the opener and nearly conceded a second moments later, but Campbell chipped just wide of the target after an awkward, shallow back pass left Morpeth in bother.
Summer signing Vinnie Steels was proving a menace down the right flank and he got his first glimpse of goal when cutting in and firing goalwards. However, the shot was wayward with Johnson unable to deflect it goalbound.
Both sides settled into the contest, with Morpeth looking comfortable in possession and a threat on the front foot.
A spell in the ascendency resulted in Town equalising on 27 minutes, through Johnson. The opportunity though was created by Steels, who was given a 10-yard invitation to run at Thomas Angell. The winger duly obliged, bursting past the full-back before cutting back for Johnson to score from close range.
That parity lasted all of four minutes with Basford once again getting their noses in front. It was Campbell on this occasion to score, netting via a deflection from close range after a corner into the box wasn’t cleared with Michael Turner seemingly fouled in the area.
Morpeth would show impressive resilience to shrug off that disappointment, with Johnson’s cross to the near post pushed away by keeper Kieran Preston seconds after Basford had gone ahead.
Then, deep in four added minutes at the end of the first half, Town deservedly levelled through Reid. The defender originally gained possession at the heart of the defence before striding forward.
Without a challenge of note to impede him, he kept on going and going and going, until a neat through ball found the continual charge of the centre-back. Bearing down on goal, he slotted under the keeper to score.
The second half had less of the goal scoring, but plenty of the intrigue delivered in the first half as both sides saw an opportunity to register an opening day win.
Sam Hodgson, who only joined on Tuesday on loan from South Shields, was putting himself about up front and causing a nuisance and so nearly had a 53rd minute sighter of goal. With the keeper misjudging, he was left scrambling on the deck with Hodgson so nearly getting it away from the stopper and being faced with an open goal.
Campbell dragged one just wide before the hour-mark before team-mate and captain Matt Thornhill had a goal chalked off for offside just after the hour.
It was a fine finish in truth, but he mis-timed his run in behind and the assistant raised his flag to let Town off the hook.
Much more of a combative second half, it was Morpeth’s turn to have a goal ruled out by the assistant referee on 69 minutes. A ball was swung into the area and it eventually fell to Reid to lash in from close range. But it was deemed offside in the build-up, much to the frustration of the Highwaymen.
Diminutive full-back Angell had a 79th minute effort deflected behind before new recruit Will Jenkins hit the crossbar with six minutes to go, his swirling cross catching keeper Preston out.
Ryan Wombwell would come on for his third Highwaymen debut in the closing stages but both sides were content with a point and a positive start to the campaign.
Town are next in action with a home double header, starting with Workington’s visit to Craik Park on Tuesday. That’s followed by Matlock Town’s trip to Northumberland on Saturday.
BASFORD UNITED: Preston, Roma, Angell, Thomas (Ritzema 72’), McGowan, Dearle, Bowman, Thornhill (c), Wafula (James 60’), Litchfield (Cartwright 61’), Campbell.
SUBS: Hakeem, Davidson.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Robson, Miller, Jenkins, Turner, Reid, Steels, Noble, Hodgson, Barlow (Wombwell 88’), Johnson.
SUBS: Williams, Donaldson, French.
ATT: 281
