Morpeth Town’s form and confidence are blossoming, with Gainsborough Trinity the next side to fall by the wayside following a 2-0 win on the road for the Highwaymen.

The visiting Morpeth side hit the front at the start of the second half through Sam Hodgson’s close-range effort before Jack Foalle doubled the lead just before the hour-mark.

The Highwaymen started competently enough in Lincolnshire but keeper Dan Lowson was called into action in the ninth minute to make a routine save as a shot bobbled through to him.

Operating with wing-backs, Town eased into the contest and could have got their noses in front on 11 minutes but Nic Bollado’s shot was drilled into the side netting as he strode down the right hand side.

The best chance of the game so far would fall the way of Gainsborough though when Declan Howe got through on 15 minutes. After Lowson forced the forward wide, Howe got round the sprawling stopper but Chris Reid was on hand to clear off the line, a goal-saving intervention that saw him pull up with a game-ending hamstring injury.

A first half lacking goalmouth action saw the game meander toward half-time but there would still be time for a bizarre 10 seconds that saw Bobby Johnson dismissed for the home side.

The midfielder had already hauled back Will Jenkins as Morpeth dashed forward on the counter-attack, with the referee playing advantage as the ball fell for Bollado.

The striker was then unceremoniously chopped down by Johnson, with the official stopping play and booking the midfielder for the first challenge and the second foul in quick succession.

That moment of madness led to a heated and tetchy start to the second period as the home support looked to cajole their side and contest every single tackle, foul or not.

It needed a Morpeth moment of magic to settle fraying nerves and tempers, and take the sting out of the contest. That arrived on 48 minutes through the goal-den touch of Hodgson.

The striker, netting his 14th goal of an impressive campaign, reacted quickest 10 yards out to slot a deflected Bollado effort into the bottom corner and give his side the lead.

But just as importantly, it knocked the stuffing out of the hosts.

What Morpeth needed, ideally, was a second goal to give their growing confidence against 10 men the reward it deserved.

That arrived on 58 minutes through substitute Foalle. The forward, operating as a wing-back, latched on to a wonderful cross-field pass from captain Jeff Henderson before nodding it down into his own path and using his pace to burst past Ashley Jackson before lashing an effort through the keeper at the near post.

Gainsborough, to their credit, kept plugging away, with Howe once again going round Lowson but firing off target from a tight angle as they sought a way back into the contest.

Town should have added gloss to the score when Hodgson was denied by a desperate goal-line block but the result was never in doubt by this point.

Vinnie Steels stepped off the bench and caused no end of problems as his pace got him in behind, his stoppage time shot superbly saved by Trinity’s keeper.

That came off the back of a straight red card for Hartlepool United debutant Christian Lynn, the midfielder dismissed for a lunging tackle that showed studs more than anything else. After a bright six minutes, this would be a debut to remember for the youngster in amber and black.

But it wouldn’t affect the outcome as Morpeth eased to a third win in a row, a second cleansheet in three, and extended a run of results that now reads one defeat in eight.

With Danny Barlow’s tireless performance one of the stand outs, the defensive line looked solid, reliable, and unflustered, with Lowson, in truth, having little to do as the Highwaymen sealed all three points.

Town are next in action when they welcome Ashton United to Craik Park on Saturday (3pm).

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY: Wharton, Hornshaw (Kuleya 73’), Jackson, Conway (Moore-Billam 89’), Douglas, Cogill (C), Butroid, Johnson, Preston (Southwell 50’), Howe, Devine.

SUBS: Wallace, Holvey.

MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Robson, Reid (Foalle 19’), Jenkins, Henderson (c), Turner, Bollado (Steels 84’), Donaldson, Hodgson, Barlow, Johnson (Lynn 87’).

SUBS: Wombwell.

ATT: 538