Morpeth Town 3
IAN Herron's quality strike late on settled a see-saw game in Morpeth's favour against one of the title favourites.

Town manager Jon King gave a debut to new striker Alex Benjamin, who has joined the club from Tow Law Town. Paul Wilary and Radek Rakocinski made returns to the bench after recent injuries.

Within five minutes the visitors had the lead when Iain Nickalls' left wing centre was headed home by Benjamin, although home custodian Paul Gilmore will have been disappointed with his efforts in trying to keep the ball out.

Adam Emson lobbed Jak Wells but the ball also cleared the cross bar before the home side equalised.

Andrew Cuthbertson and Steven Brown combined to create a chance for Steve Johnson, who finished emphatically past a stranded Wells.

Morpeth re-took the lead just before half time when a solo break from Benjamin saw him race clear of the last defender, cut inside his man and fire a left foot shot high into the net.

Consett started well after the break and after Emson prodded wide with the goal at his mercy, Johnson equalised for a second time.

Good interchange play between Moffatt and Ormston found Johnson with a yard of space and he expertly finished to level the scores again.

But Town kept coming forward and inside the final ten minutes they sneaked a magnificent away victory when Herron fired a beautiful curling shot past Gilmore from 20 yards after an excellent break from midfield.

This finally knocked the stuffing out of Consett and Town held on for an excellent three points. Morpeth: Wells, Phillipson, Warwick, Hall, Nickalls, Grant, Halambiec (Rakocinski), Herron, Rue, Benjamin (Wilary), Mullen.

Morpeth Town 0 Ryton 2

MORPETH came back down to earth with a bump following the highs of the weekend with a midweek home defeat in the FA Cup against newly promoted Ryton.

Kevin Henderson returned to the squad following his weekend unavailability and Joe Race started in place of the ineligible Alex Benjamin.

Within minutes the home side had a chance when Rue cut the ball back but Race was unable to keep his effort down and the ball flew over former Town keeper Ben Starford's crossbar.

And just a few minutes later, Ryton took the lead when Graham Liddle headed home a free kick from Gary Forbes.

Town pushed forward in the second half in search of the elusive equaliser with Henderson and Wilary replacing Rue and Race.

Wilary came close to an equaliser only to be denied by Starford and Halambiec looked like he would score from close range but missed the target.

Then Ryton hit Morpeth on the counter attack when Steven Shaw drilled a low shot past Wells, and there was no way back for the home side from that moment on as the FA Cup ended at the first hurdle for Town.

Morpeth: Wells, Phillipson (Rakocinski), Warwick, Hall, Nickalls, Grant, Halambiec, Herron, Rue (Wilary), Race (Henderson), Mullen.
Rachel Denton