Match report proudly sponsored by Northumbria Print
Morpeth Town did everything but score as they slipped to a 1-0 loss at home to Whitby Town in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
The difference between the two sides turned out to be a 14th minute Jacob Day penalty in a game that meandered through the first half placidly before the Highwaymen upped their game and hammered on the Whitby door without success in the second.
Town made one enforced change with Jack Foalle sitting the game out due to injury, with Dale Pearson taking his place on the flank.
Morpeth started well enough, with Sam Fishburn controlling and forcing a smart stop from Whitby keeper Shane Bland early on.
Seconds later and the visitors would show their intent, but after the ball was cut back to Malik Dijksteel the midfielder lashed wildly over the top.
Connor Thomson was next to go close for the hosts, but after creating the space on the right side of the box he could only drag an effort wide of the near post.
Then came Whitby’s decisive moment on 13 minutes when Harvey Tomlinson was adjudged to have been pushed by Josh Robson in the box with the award of an incredibly soft penalty kick. Day shrugged off the delay to slot home confidently.
The home side saw a Josh King shot fly well wide on 22 minutes, before Day should have doubled Whitby’s lead on 25 minutes but his shot on the turn flew past the far post.
Thomson, when clean through, then spurned another opportunity to equalise on 37 minutes, with Pearson’s shot being blocked on the stroke of half-time and Chris Reid’s effort thumping the bar in the aftermath.
The second half was much more in Morpeth’s favour, as they desperately sought a leveller.
Substitute Connor Pani came off the bench and caused problems for the visitors, lashing a long-range effort that was deflected wide, but Michael Turner would go closest on 73 minutes when his shot from inside the six-yard box deflected inches wide.
Reid then had a header at the back post somehow saved by Bland at point-blank range as Morpeth pressed. Pearson was next to go close for the hosts, connecting cleanly with a Thomson cut-back, but his low shot was saved by the feet of the Whitby keeper.
Liam Noble stretched to drive an effort straight at Bland and Thomson passed up a glorious chance to level late on as Morpeth couldn’t find the equaliser their second half performance deserved.
Town are next in action when travelling to Atherton Collieries on Saturday. You can listen to live commentary on Highwaymen Radio by clicking here from 2.55pm.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Robson (Pani 63), Reid, King, Wombwell, Turner, Thomson, Noble, Fishburn, Donaldson, Pearson.
SUBS: Morris, Ramsey
WHITBY TOWN: Bland, Fergus, Shepherd, Bramwell, Rowe, Cunningham, Dijksteel (Hackett 77), Keithley, Day, Tomlinson (Haswell 80), Green (Fewster 90).
SUBS: Cranston.
ATT: 417
