Sat. 26 Nov – Marton Furness 4ths v Morpeth 2nd
Marton Furness 2 – 2 Morpeth
Scorers: Booth, Hinshaw
M.O.M: Hinshaw
Early start and long journey down to a blowey Redcar to play Marton Furness 4. Morpeth again had a much changed side. As a result the team started slowly, looking disjointed and unable to hold the ball. Early pressure came from Marton Furness, relying as they would all game on long balls to their frontmen and a “physical” style of play. A mixup in the Morpeth defence allowed Marton to break down their right to the Morpeth D. Tomlinson failed to deal with attacker who squared the ball for the Marton centre forward to bury the ball past the Morpeth keeper.
Morpeth then weathered a period of pressure before building through the midfield, Hermes, Calder and Craggs linking well. Morpeth started to pressure the Marton goal with good opportunities for Gilmore, Booth and the accrobatic Calder all thwarted by excellent goal keeping from their new Uni keeper. The play though was still disjointed, lacking shape and not in top gear.
1-0 down at half time saw a stern constructive team talk. Morpeth started the second half like they meant business. The work rate was better, the shape and movement was there leading to some gilt edged chances. Gilmore usually hot in front of goal had some excellent chances but was stopped again by a keeper who surely will not be playing MF4s for long. Short corners came, shots on target but the keeper reached everything. Then from a short corner Gilmore and Calder dummied the shot, exchanged a series short sharp passes to unbalance the keeper before Gilmore unleashed a goal bound shot beating the keeper, only to see Booth poach it on the line for the equaliser.
Morpeth were flying. The game pressed in the Marton half. But still their keeper stood firm. A move down the right by Hinshaw worked the ball into the D, a shot by Calder was again saved the rebound coming out to Hinshaw who fired it into the back of the net (1-2). Morpeth now well on top couldn’t find the third. Whether it was tired legs or a loss of concentration Morpeth opened up in midfield allowing Marton to press the Morpeth defence. Apart from a couple of short corners in the second half Marton hadn’t troubled the Morpeth goal. Morpeth defence dealt with everything thrown at it until a slack pass at the back, coupled with a harsh decision saw Marton have a hit 5m out from the Morpeth D.
Marton worked it so that the ball was struck hard across the D, hitting a Morpeth player, the deflection shooting up and towards goal only for it to glance the shaft of the Marton centre forwards stick and into the goal. How unlucky! Both sides chased the win in the last 5mins but the final whistle saw the score remain 2-2. Morpeth had far more shots on goal than Marton and it took a moment of sheer bad luck for Marton to equalise. On another day Morpeth would comfortably have won but credit to the Marton keeper who kept them in it. Not a glorious performance but everyone gave it their all.
MoM: C.Hinshaw who narrowly pipped T. Beddis.
