Media team sponsored by Northumbria Print

Morpeth Town made it to the fourth round of the FA Trophy for the first time in their history after a thrilling 3-3 draw ended in a 5-3 shoot-out success at Craik Park.

A cracking cup tie ebbed and flowed with the lead changing hands regularly as both sides went in search of decisive goals to progress.

Rob Wilson gave the visitors an early lead after Chris Reid was harshly adjudged to have fouled a Lancaster man in the box. But the midfielder rose above the protestations to slot home from 12 yards.

A frenetic opening period continued until the 29th minute when Michael Turner restored parity for the home side. His towering, glancing header across goal found the back of the net after Liam Noble’s pin-point set-piece in from the right.

However, Lancaster would rally once more and go in at the interval 2-1 ahead as Rhys Turner strode clear, following confusion after the ball hit the referee, to slot across Dan Lowson and into the far corner.

In the aftermath of the goals, protests from the home team led to manager Craig Lynch being sent off.

The second half showed no signs of letting up, as Morpeth sought an equaliser which arrived just 11 minutes in.

Ben Ramsey was the man to score it after outstanding link play down the left. Michael Turner’s outside-of-the-foot pass was exquisite, Chris Reid flicked it on, and Liam Henderson delivered a perfect cross for the rampaging Ramsey to score from close range.

Buoyed by this, the Highwaymen hit the front four minutes later through Henderson. The striker, who had just seen Ramsey cleared out when bursting into the box, had the presence of mind to latch on to the loose ball and hit the far corner.

A tense and tetchy affair had one final twist as Liam Brockbank sent a fizzing free-kick across goal and into the far corner from 25 yards to send the game to penalties.

Masters from 12 yards, Morpeth registered five perfect penalties, with Joe Walton, Andrew Johnson, Ryan Donaldson, Connor Oliver and Liam Noble all scoring. Andrew Teague was the unfortunate one, seeing his spot-kick saved by Lowson.

Town are next in action when they travel to Scarborough Athletic on December 27th (3pm).

MORPETH TOWN: Lowson, Walton, Reid, Hodgson (Oliver 82), J.Henderson (c), Turner, Johnson, Noble, L.Henderson (Taylor 77), Donaldson, Ramsey.

SUBS: Forster, Phillips, Foalle.

GOALS: Turner (29’), Ramsey (56’), L.Henderson (60’)

LANCASTER CITY: Hogarth, S.Bailey (Reid 62), Brockbank, Fensome, Teague (c), Steel, Wilson (Davidson 80), Wills, Turner, C.Bailey, Sloan.

SUBS: Hudson, Anderson, Graham.

GOALS: Wilson (10’ PEN), R.Turner (40’), Brockbank (89’)

ATT: 457