Scorers:- Renwick, Cook

MOM:- P.Durance

Although not ultimately ending in a victory, this was possibly the Third team’s best performance of the season thus far. The game needed to be started with only 9 Morpeth players on the pitch due to transport problems en route to Teeside. With Booth starting well in a solo advanced position, the away team avoided the situation of becoming too entrenched in their own half due to sheer lack of numbers. However, the resistance was only to last so long. Before ten minutes had passed, Wilton broke through from their right wing to score in a central position following some hesitant defending. This, though, was the exception to the rule and throughout the remainder of the match the Northumbrian team defended stoutly with Holden, Gordon & Durance featuring equally.

Once up to their allowed 11, Morpeth started to exert some pressure of their own. Ireland, as combatative as ever in midfield, started to not only break up play but initiate progressive movement. Wilton had already been awarded a few penalty corners before Morpeth won one of their own through incisive forward play from Macdonald. This first clear sight of goal was not to be wasted as Renwick fired a ball just inside the left hand post and though this part of the goal was protected the defender was unable to cope with the sheer weight of shot. Further good play from the away side meant that Wilton were now starting to feel pressured whilst in possession and especially when in defence.

The second half saw Morpeth continue to compete on equal terms with a team much higher up their league table. Wilton clearly possess some players with fine stick skills and good movement but this was matched by sheer endeavour & commitment to the cause with Foster embodying same, managing to play through a shoulder injury and with good effect.

The Teeside-based team did resume the lead but only as a result of quick play down their left and a very well taken shot dispatched from a good distance out with pinpoint accuracy inside the far post. Morpeth refused to let this set them back in any way and they resumed their harrying efforts. This was rewarded by possesssion being regained on an ongoing basis and ultimately resulted in a richly deserved equaliser. Good combined play & finely timed running resulted in an initial shot from Cook being well blocked by a defender. However, the ball merely rebounded to the Morpeth captain to allow him to strike the ball past the opposing ‘keeper from six yards out. There should have been only about five minutes left for the away side to hold out for a well-merited point. However, the umpire timing the game decided that earlier minor injuries had caused over ten minutes of delay.

In fact, Morpeth had chances of their own to edge this hard-fought encounter. Booth failed to score from two separate close-to-goal opportunities, trying to force the ball through the goalkeeper’s pads when laying the ball off would have been the wiser option. The final whistle eventually arrived and this meant that Wilton had failed to win at the Thornaby ground for the first time – a true indication of the measure of achievement for this fully determined Morpeth Third team.

This was a game that the Morpeth Third Team simply had to win in order to avoid concerns of continually looking downwards within their division and also to make up for the ill-disciplined showing of the previous week. Wholesale changes were in evidence throughout but the away side still managed to dominate the early exchanges with Carlyon, starting as he meant to go on, winning the vast majority of any challenges for possession in midfield. Stokesley appeared to lack confidence in going forwards and started to feel the pressure at their defensive end.

Though no clear cut chances were made, Morpeth won the first of several short corners that they were to be awarded throughout this match. A narrow miss at the near post resulted but after twenty minutes their second penalty corner resulted in a sweetly struck shot towards the far post from Bott being flicked in by Macdonald for a deserved opener. The home side looked to rally but due to sound defensive play they only occasionally managed to force the ball into the offensive ‘D’ and, even then, no shots resulted. At the other end, much pressure came to nothing and a 1 – 0 scoreline was scant reward for the Northumberland-based team’s dominance.

Stokesley started brightly in the second half but any hint of offensive movement was quickly snuffed out by Foster & Bott and the Thirds were soon to benefit from increasing gaps at the other end. A sustained attack from Morpeth eventually left Greenbeck with a chance to score his first ever competitive goal which he achieved by shooting past the ‘keeper’s right and the increased scoreline reflected the weight of play. A third was to follow with a smartly lifted shot dispatched by King, the ball having been played in from his left. Renwick missed further opportunities from close range to put the result beyond any doubt whatsoever and it was disappointing that the North Yorkshire team managed to score when a mishit shot evaded Cook in goal for the ball to easily be put in at thefar post by the unmarked left winger. However, this was mere consolation and Morpeth easily saw out the period remaining.

Good performances from Holden & Race were emblematic of the overall effort & commitment within this third Team performance and it is hoped that this is matched in the forthcoming home fixture.

MOM:- N.Larvin

An uncertain start was made by a home side looking to bounce back from the huge disappointment of losing the previous week’s game from a winning position. The away team were also floundering at the bottom end of the table and the significance of taking all three points was self-evident. The play was scrappy from both sides with inaccurate passes hampering any truly progressive play. However, as the match moved towards half time, Morpeth started to adapt to their new 3 – 1 – 5 – 1 formation withIrelandfeaturing strongly in his centre-half role. Brind, returning after an extended break from the game, was steady in his central defensive role before he had to be replaced due to injury. Larvin, needing to fill in as an emergency right back in the resultant re-organisation and in an unaccustomed defensive position, had a game that earned him well earned plaudits.

The Northumberland team managed to build upon their strong ten minutes before the break. Ten minutes into the second period good play down the right and an accurate cross from Greenbeck resulted in an assured finish from Craggs who passed the ball into the goal. Morpeth were now in the ascendancy and continued to make chances on a regular basis. Though short corners were awarded to both sides these were not converted and it was left to Booth to make the margin a little more comfortable with a first time finish from a well struck ball into the ‘D’. Another hard hit strike from Renwick was well deflected in for Craggs’ second to eventually gain some success from a penalty corner and make the game safe. Slaughter had made a couple of important saves prior to this and the Morpeth defence certainly had to remain fully focused to the final whistle.

The result moves Morpeth into more of a mid-table position but there needs to be no complacency in future weeks. A faster start would aid matters no end but it is fair to say that the newly adopted tactics ultimately proved successful and will become more familiar to ‘all & sundry’ with the benefit of additional game time.

Morpeth started slowly in this away fixture at Maiden Castle. A combination of inaccurate passing and poor control in possession gave the early initiative to a home side struggling for points during the first part of the season. The occasional spark of encouragement was evident and though the ball found its way into the Durham goal this was only after the whistle had been blown for a clear infringement. Short corners started to be won but a lack of clinical finishing meant that no advantage was gained. The city-based side pressed to create their own chances and managed to win a couple of penalty corners of their own. Again the defence held the upper hand and the danger was averted. A nil – nil scoreline was a fair scoreline at half time but it was clear that the Northumberland team had far more to offer should they start combining better within their attacking line-up.

A similar pattern emerged in the second period. However, slowly but surely Morpeth sought to gain the upper hand. More short corners failed to be dispatched and it was almost a point of surprise when Renwick fed Macdonald with the latter scoring from an acute angle five yards to the left of the goal. Eventually the away side appeared to have found an improved rhythm & flow and more passes were hitting their mark. This was not enough, though, to close out the game. Energetic play from the Durham captain resulted in confusion within the Morpeth defence and the cardinal sin of failing to play to the whistle was punished as Durham won a short corner that they converted for what appeared to be a fortuitous equaliser. Whilst the umpiring decisions continued to confuse & confound, worse was to follow two minutes later as a defensive error in failing to clear to the side presented City with a chance to take the most unlikely of leads and this they achieved with an assured finish past Slaughter.

With only a few minutes remaining a shell-shocked Morpeth were unable to respond and a game that had appeared won had been snatched from the travelling side’s grasp. The failure to take chances throughout was ruthlessly punished and lessons need to be learnt from this if a relegation scrap is to be avoided at the season’s end.

M.O.M.:- J. Macdonald

A return to the role of ‘keeper for Slaughter from more regular umpiring duties heralded the first clean sheet of the season in the league for the Morpeth Third team. Even though stalwart central defender Bott had to be replaced at half-time due to a knee injury a fine replacement in Robin Hudson was found.

The subsequent change round in personnel did not unduly disrupt the home side and they continued to threaten in the second half as they had done in the first. In truth, however, the Teeside outfit played a full part in this match and, though often struggling to combine in the attacking zone, possibly missed the slightly easier of the few chances on offer throughout the match.

Strong midfield performances from Renwick & Ireland were echoed throughout the Morpeth side and an improved performance as a team from a slightly under par showing the previous week deservedly earned a point. With the younger element of the side all revelling in the bright, dry conditions and Macdonald, always a willing runner, coming closest to scoring of either side with a shot that deflected off the post in the first period, there was much to admire throughout.

The slight lack of cutting edge up front may raise the slightest of concerns but overall there should be satisfaction with a solid display that will earn many more points during coming weeks if repeated.

Scorers:- Bott, R. Hudson

MOM:- J.Macdonald

Ultimately, this was to prove a disappointing result and performance from a Morpeth team who never really hit top gear against a team who are likely to find themself in a position somewhere close to the bottom of the table come the end of the season. Two defensive errors in the first half were both punished by the home side and though equalisers were found on both occasions a third was to prove elusive. The first, a well taken shot from a short corner by Bott was deflected past the defender on the line by the Medics ‘keeper.

The second was, once again, the result of a penalty corner but did not occur until the second half. A composed finish for midfielder Robin Hudson, his first goal for the club, following a square pass from the captain, Cook, was not undeserved but the away side could not build upon this promising position. In truth, the Medics had wasted other opportunities prior to scoring their winner and the Morpeth ‘keeper, Gordon, had made a number of very good saves and solid clearances, especially in the first half.

The game was never given up by the more Northerly based side and Macdonald went close on a few occasions with one of his shots clearing the bar, though by some margin, after he was pressured from both sides by defenders and the rapidly advancing goalkeeper. Plenty of energy was shown until the end by both teams and the closeness of the contest of the game was reflected in a green card being awarded for bad language to one of Medics near the end due, almost certainly, to frustration. However, it was Morpeth who were to be the more majorly frustrated by not even achieving a draw in a game they could even have won if individuals had played to anywhere near their full potential.

The return match should see Morpeth exact revenge on a team whose occasional arrogance was not merited by their overall level of play. In the meantime, it is important that they regain their form of the previous week, return to a controlled passing game and ensure that they take full points from their forthcoming home fixture.

Score:- 5-1,

Scorers:- Macdonald(3), Booth, King

M.O.M.:- D. Calder

The Morpeth Third Team needed to bounce back from two heavy defeats in their first two league games after winning an initial friendly. This was achieved and ultimately in fine style but this was not a walk in the park for the home team. Substantive changes to the side resulted in a stronger performance with this being particularly evident in midfield. Early dominance in this area of the pitch lead to much progressive play and chances to score started to be created. However, none of these proved to be clear cut until one of a number of short corners resulted in a strongly hit Bott shot being smartly deflected in by Macdonald. Other efforts were not converted and Marton on one of their first forays into attack earned a short corner that was and the score at half-time did not reflect the balance of play at all.

After the break Morpeth continued to press with Calder and both Hudsons, Robin & Luke, controlling the middle. For once the away side failed to clear when open play caused real pressure in their ‘D’ and Booth picked up the pieces to regain the lead for the Thirds. Eventually one of yet more good crosses from the right from Renwick was finished at the second time of asking by Macdonald with his first shot rebounding kindly off the keeper and the two goal margin appeared to settle the Northumberland based side. Further goals from King and Macdonald, this time for his hat trick, eventually provided some well earned gloss.

Improvements in all areas were clear for all to see and Morpeth will hope to build upon gaining their first three points of the season.

Scorers:- Evans, Ireland, Bott

M.O.M. R. Ireland

The first away game of the season saw Morpeth with a one man disadvantage due to late problems with player unavailability and this was always likely to prove decisive. That said, the away team started with a remarkable degree of composure and controlled the game for the first ten minutes with the ball remaining in the opposition half. With pressure being applied, free hits started to be won outside of the Gateshead ‘D’ with these leading to a few penalty corners. It was no less that Morpeth deserved when a follow up to one of the latter resulted in a shot from Ireland squeezing inside the left hand post with Larvin providing ample distraction to the home ‘keeper. Unfortunately, this was to be the one & only time when the team based at Longhirst were to hold the advantage. Within a few minutes of this opener Gateshead had their equaliser with a good save from Glyn Evans falling fortuitously to a forward to finish easily and within double quick time a raid down the right and a smart pull back lead to another simple finish.

Macdonald & Renwick continued to combine well for Morpeth and it was no real surprise when Alan Evans forced in from another short corner to level the match with 20 minutes gone. Yet again Gateshead looked to rally and only now did they start to take real advantage of the extra man. Morpeth became stretched both in midfield & defence and more chances were made against them. Third & fourth goals were scored with one an individual effort and the other the result of a central defensive lapse. It was 5 – 2 prior to the break when an attacker was not closed down allowing a free shot that hit its target.

The second half became very open in the unusually warm conditions and more of an end-to-end game ensued. The home side were to benefit from the increasing tiredness of their opposition and though held for periods a couple of remarkably composed finishes for young Gateshead players put the match out of reach. Callum Hinshaw continued to force the play despite what at one point looked to be a game-ending injury and the Northumberland side never gave up. A penalty flick was won when Evans was completely up-ended by the Gateshead keeper and Bott converted this assuredly. Another two goals put the icing on the cake with Gateshead’s midfield now dominant.

Though a disappointing scoreline there is much to build upon for the Morpeth team and a more disciplined performance will almost certainly earn greater rewards in the weeks to come.

With the league season only a week away, it was important for Morpeth 3rds to gain some confidence in this match. Morpeth welcomed Old Masonians who had travelled from London to play a couple of games over the weekend. With a mixture of old and young players, this was certainly a different looking team from the 3rd team that finished last season.

Morpeth 3rds caught the opposition by surprise from the start and the pace of some of the youngsters exposed the Masonians defence.

Given a fair amount of space, Morpeth could find space and with some delightful passing penetrated deep into the oppositions half, all it needed was some composure in front of goal.

The first goal came half way through the first half after some quick passing and movement allowed Peter Booth to tap in to open his account for the season.

The goal seemed to spark the opposition into life and they closed down Morpeth with more effort, making it difficult for Morpeth to keep up the tempo they had set.

Into the second half and Old Masonians started the stronger side, pressing and closing Morpeth down. While it was difficult for Morpeth to get out of their own half, when they did, it was quick and they looked the most likely to score.

They did just that after a quick counter attack, allowing Peter Booth to slot home his second of the game. This second goal took the confidence from the opposition and more chances fell to Morpeth.

Morpeth did have a goal disallowed near the end, with the Umpire judging that the ball had not gone out of the ‘D’ before M.Bott crashed in a powerfull shot.

Scorers:-A.Evans(2), R.Tordoff

Morpeth 3rds welcomed the newly crowned league champions to Longhirst in this re-arranged league game. Morpeth 3rds were desperate for points to keep them in this division. Morpeth started the brightest and really pushed Billingham back. The midfield pair of Critchley and Tordoff, used their pace to control the centre of the park. However, the defensive frailties of Morpeth allowed Billingham to score a soft goal.

Unfortunately for Morpeth, there was more to come and Billingham scored a 2nd which they really didnt deserve.

From a Short Corner, Evans played a one two with Renwick, giving him the space and time to slot home a deserved goal.

Morpeth were now flying and some of their play was at times a joy to watch and Billingham again were defending deep. This tactic didnt work for them and it was not long before, a long pass from M.Bott found C.Hinshaw on the right wing who played a delightful ball into A.Evans for him to score his second goal.

Now back in the game the impetus was now with Morpeth and it was no suprise when they added a third, a delightful finish from Tordoff.

Despite this, Morpeth still looked vulnerable at the back, but they managed to hold on until half time.

The second half was all about the stern defending and work rate of a Morpeth team determined to see out a monumental victory against the strongest team in the league. For the first time this season, the third team played with belief and their confident play was to see them through.

There was some scares, but Morpeth managed to clinch a fine victory.