Morpeth Town were the visitors to a Sun drenched UTS Stadium for the host’s second pre-season fixture

The Highwaymen showed their quality in a dominant display, with Chris Swailes’ side coming out on the wrong end of a 0-4 scorline. Two goals in the space of 2 minutes, 10 minutes into the second half from The ‘Peths Liam Henderson made for a difficult afternoon.

Dunston had the first effort of the game; a glancing header by Scott Heslop, starting his first game of pre-season, was pushed away by Dan Lawson.

The Highwayman keeper was called in action moments later, turning away a curling effort. The opening 10 minutes were Dunston’s best moments of the game. From that point on, Morpeth controlled the game.

Morpeth new boy Ryan Donaldson, recently arrived from Hartlepool United having captained them back to The Football League in last seasons National League play-off final, was denied by the legs of Dunston keeper Connell on the 10 minute mark.

On 16 minutes Andrew Johnson gave the visitors the lead, having got in behind the Dunston defence, he nonchalantly dinked his shot over Connell.

Johnson continued to pose a threat, as minutes later he could’ve extended Morpeth’s lead, a similar move down the left only this time his shot bobbled which Connell dutifully collected.

Dunston trailed going into the interval, however ten minutes into the second half would see Morpeth further extend their lead significantly. A route one ball, saw Liam Henderson beat the off-side trap, composed, he slotted the ball through the legs of Connell. The same player was on point again 2 minutes later, from a Ryan Donaldson delivery, the forward looped his header into the back of the Dunston net.

With a raft of second half substitutions for both sides, Dunston replaced Heslop with Fitzpatrick and a trialist on for recent signing Luke Porritt. 0-3 down, in energy sapping conditions there was little change to the balance of play. 

In fairness Morpeth dominated the second half and added on 83 through Carl Finnigan, a ball dinked through the middle over the defence, Finnigan beating the off-side trap, pushed off balance, the forward somehow still managed to connect to claim the visitors fourth.

Match day photography courtesy of Beauty Time Photography

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