Sat. 3rd December 2011 – Morpeth 2nd vs Gateshead 3rds
Morpeth 5 – 3 Gateshead
Scorers: Calder 2, Craggs, Hinshaw, Mooney
M.O.M: Hinshaw
Morpeth 2s faced mid table Gateshead, the Morpeth team looked strong on paper but facing a youthful Gateshead, Morpeth’s fitness looked set to be tested. With strong winds, a chilly temperature of 3 degrees and with the sun already setting by the time the match got underway, it looked set to be a long 70 minutes.
Not long after the start Morpeth’s David Calder struck first putting the ball past the Gateshead keeper. Gateshead quickly returned fire, after a barrage of penalty corners and a final one from a questionable stick tackle decision, levelling the score. Morpeth, however, didn’t take this lying down and Calder slotted another with an athletic dive to reach a screamer of a ball from Mooney to the back post.
Morpeth then opened the score line up with a great finish from Craggs. Gateshead, however, continued to threaten and with some persistent attacking play brought the score back to 3-2 before half time.
Half time gave Morpeth the opportunity to reflect on their performance, after the previous Saturday’s draw the team were determined to win and so they came out ready to put pressure on the still threatening Gateshead. This determination paid off with Mooney scoring soon after the match restarted. Hinshaw then brought the score to 5-2 with a darting run past the Gateshead right back and then a touch which took him past the keeper leaving an easy finish in an open goal.
Unfortunately, Gateshead did reply with a third coming from short corner which was given by the Gateshead umpire after a dance display and one of the many conferences that characterised the match.
Overall Morpeth seconds can be pleased with the 5-3 win, in what was a difficult match in tough conditions. However, the table leaders did not play as well as they have been, although when interviewed after the match Gareth Mellor said, “We could have turned it on at any second had we wanted to!”
