MORPETH were given a lesson in how to finish your chances as they lost their first home match of the season.

Following Town's excellent start to the season with victory at West Auckland, Manager Jon King made two changes to the side with Lee Bell and Mateusz Halambiec coming into the side for the injured Kevin Henderson and the unavailable Tom Haigh.

Last season's Player of the Year Steve Warwick passed a fitness test on an Achilles injury which hampered him on Saturday.

Nissan, who have totally rebuilt their team from last year's disappointing season, started well on a slick Craik Park surface.

Chris Bell and Stuart Banks combined well to set up former Hartlepool front man Andy Appleby, who after cutting inside Nickalls sent his shot just wide of Wells' far post.

But the visitors took the lead after 20 minutes. Warwick's attempted backpass was intercepted by the lively Banks and he had the simple task of squaring to the unmarked Appleby who tapped home from close range.

Morpeth responded with a 25-yard free kick from Chris Phillipson, however the youngster's effort was acrobatically saved by Gilmore in the visiting goal.

Following good work from Herron, Halambiec was off target with a header. At the other end Wells was called into action to deny Bell, whilst Banks hit the outside of the post having waltzed through two home tackles.

On the stroke of half time, Nissan doubled their lead with an excellent goal. Good interchange play between Pearson, Rowe, Appleby and Banks ended with Bell's low shot beating Wells comfortably.

The home side upped the pace on the resumption but found Nissan's defence in resolute mood. Halambiec was again off target with a headed effort, whilst substitute Joe Race was unlucky to see his shot saved by Gilmore and scrambled to safety by Rowe.

Nissan added a third goal when an excellent run from Hardman saw him skip past several challenges before drilling a superb shot across Wells and into the far bottom corner.

Within minutes Bell threatened to emulate him, but was pulled back by Phillipson before firing a shot into the net. However, referee Traynor had already whistled and awarded a penalty, which the away side's Paul Robinson fired wastefully high and wide.

Morpeth Town: Wells; Phillipson; Warwick (Race); Hall; Nickalls; Grant; Mullen; Herron; Rue; Halambiec (Atwell); Bell.