Saturday 4 April 2015

Dunston UTS 1 Morpeth Town 3

Methodical Morpeth beat below par Dunston
4th April 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Dunston UTS 1
Morpeth Town 3

Dunston entertain Morpeth Town at the UTS Stadium today, Morpeth are rejuvenated team of recent results and establishing themselves as difficult opponents and also into the top ten in the league.

Dunston over recent games have seen theirpush for a higher league position than their current sixth slip away although they can still have a significant say in who wins the league especially after beating firm favourites Shildon at Dean Street by 3 goals to nil on Wednesday night and still having to play Guisborough away and North Shields at home in their last 4 league games.
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Both sides had full squads to chose from although Dunston had half an eye on their League Cup Semi‐Final against Shildon on Tuesday Night at Home 7:30 KO.

Dunston started well and in the 2 minute Ormston had a shot from 18 yards blocked by   keeper Dryden before being cleared, Morpeth were keen to attack the Dunston defence but they were holding firm, Dunston went close again on 9 as Burrell sent in a shot from 30 yards but Dryden again blocked it, preventing a goal.

The game was swinging from end to end in a competitive game which both defences seemed to have under control with Dunston creating the better efforts, on 20 a Dan Halliday free kick found Burrell on the right side of the box, his cross was blocked and cleared.



Morpeth went on the offensive ans a Graydon cross field diagonal cross found Taylor but an out coming Connell was able to smother the ball as Taylor tried to pass him.

On 25 Halliday on the left wing played in a low cross to the front post where Wilson under a strong challenge was just unable to direct on target and his poked shot went wide of the near post.

Morpeth not to be outdone saw Henderson cross to Chilton whose header went wide of the target. 2 minutes later Taylor for Morpeth ran at the Dunston defence and into the box his pull back to Chilton, 4 yards out,who poked a shot on target but Connell managed to prevent the ball going into the net at a second attempt. On 38 Novak ran onto a ball in the Dunston box but put his shot into the side netting, within a minute Taggert had a shot from the edge of the box which Connell did well to save low down at his right post.

On 43 a long from the half way line by Harrison, keeper Dryden came out to collect but misjudged the flight fortunately his defenders cleared. A minute later another Harrison free kick to the far post was allowed to go out of play and safety. Just before half time Dan Halliday cut in from the left wing and unleashed a 22 yard shot just over Dryden's far post.

Half time score: 0 ‐ 0

Having reimposed themselves at the end of the first half Dunston came out in the second and created the first chance on 49 as Kane shot from 8 yards hitting the post before going out of play, a minute later Burrell won a ball on the left wing but his cross was just too high for the forward players. On 51 a McAndrew free kick into the back post was just too high for Dixon and Ormston as the attacked the ball.



Morpeth having survived the initial onslaught were still playing a methodical passing game and on 56 minutes Sayer was allowed to attack the Dunston defence without being challenged his shot from 20 yards was parried by Connell to the incoming Taylor whose hurried shot went across the goal and out of play past the far post. In the next minute the danger signs were beginning to show as Taggert and Taylor had shots blocked by defenders. On 58 Chilton had a shot which went out of play off the Dunston cross bar. On 63 Chilton was played into the area by a deft Taylor pass, Gilhespy did well to get back and block Chilton shot on goal.

Dunston were under pressure and when Taggert was fouled just on the edge of the area, fortunately the referee adjudged it was just outside, however Graydon stepped up and sent his curving free kick over and round the seven man wall and to Connell's top right corner of the net for Morpeths first goal on 65 minutes.

Dunston retaliated and had a penalty appeal for a push on Wilson turned down by referee Gordon. On 70 Taggert was allowed to control the ball in the 18 yard area before laying the ball back to his team skipper Jewels who side footed the ball into the bottom left hand area of the net for 2 ‐ 0. Dunston tried to recover and after some neat approach play found Wilson in the area, this time the referee saw the foul and awarded a lifeline and a penalty, Bulford on as substitute for Kane stepped up to ram home the penalty and a 1‐ 2 score line.



On 76 Halliday picked up a lose ball 40 yards out and unleashed a shot which went just over the bar. The Dunston play was becoming slacker as on 77 Taylor pounced on a loose pass and shot from 20 yards, the shot was just off target past the far post on the left. However it was only 5 minutes later when Morpeth scored their final goal as Anderson crossed from the left to the far post were Sayer scored on his second attempt 3‐1 to Morpeth .

On 85 Anderson again crossed the ball to Taylor whose shot was taken by Connell. Dunston did have 2 further opportunities in the final minutes as Morpeth hung on to their deserved lead as first Burrell blocked by the keeper Dryden and then in the last minute a Burrell cross was collected by Drden in mid air.

Full time score: Dunston UTS 1 Morpeth Town 3

Dunston did not score in their period of domination in the first half and allowed Morpeth to play the methodical passing game where as Dunston tried to go direct at the tall defensive pairing who were on good form, As Dunston came back into the game either side of half time but the still could not break the dead lock, when Morpeth scored the Dunston side was deflated and started making errors allowing a second Morpeth goal, getting the penalty should have been a restating point but instead their slack play allowed a third and punishing goal as Morpeth continued to hold their composure, Dunston did not have any answers and Morpeth deserved their victory.

Dunston Man of the Match: Dan Halliday, despite others in the team under performing Dan put in a good shift and was a main threat especially in the first half of Dunston scoring. Dan Wilson ploughed a helpless furrow up front and lacked support from hiS fellow team mates, Dale Burrell, Luke Gilhespy and David Coulson also put in hard shifts but we're not able to raise their game in the second half performance.

Dunston UTS: Connell, Harrison, Halliday, Burrell, Coulson, Gilhespy, McAndrew, Dixon, Wilson, Ormston (Hodgson 70), Kane (Bulford 58) Subs not used: Wightman, Cattanach, Williams.

Morpeth Town: Dryden, Henderson, Novak (Grieve 65), Sayer (Bell 90), Hall, Jewels, Taylor, Graydon, Taggert (Anderson 75), Chilton, Fry. Subs not used: Forster, Carr

More match pictures can be view HERE

Report by T.C.

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