By Ben Lightfoot
On Tuesday night, reigning champions Blyth Spartans take on Morpeth Town in the Techflow Marine Northumberland Senior Cup Final at St James’ Park.
This season, The Spartans defence of the cup has consisted of two away wins in their cup run, one in the quarter-final in a 2-1 win against North Shields and a 1-0 semi-final win against Heaton Stannington.
The Spartans lost 1-0 away at Alfreton in their last competitive fixture after Matthew Rhead converted his penalty.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the cup final can be bought on the gate and it will be a cash-only gate. All ticket information is below:
- Adults – £8
- Concessions – £4
- Under-18 – £2
TEAM NEWS
There are no new injury concerns following Saturday’s game, however Jaden Ferguson, Rio Joisce and Isaac Walker are ineligible.
OPPOSITION
In order to get to the final of the competition, Morpeth Town won 1-0 against Newcastle Benfield in the quarter-finals and had a field day against Whitley Bay as they won 5-0 in the semi-finals.
In their last outing, Morpeth drew 3-3 against Warrington Rylands after two injury-time goals from Joshua King and Dan Lowson in the 93rd and 95th minute; Connor Thomson scored the first goal for The Highwaymen.
WHAT WE’RE SAYING
After a disappointing defeat to Aflreton, Graham Fenton said: “It was hugely frustrating, it’s just the manner of the defeat, the lads were obviously gutted because I think they’d done enough to win the game.
“We’ve gone from a situation of we’re in on goal, open goal and we haven’t quite connected properly, but then two or three minutes later we were one behind based on a referee decision that we think is ridiculous.
“I didn’t have a good view of it, but the lads are saying, when it hits [Michael] Liddle’s hand, he was probably two to three yards outside the box.
“You have a situation where the linesman has given it and he hasn’t got the angle the referee has got, the referee wasn’t going to give it and the linesman overruled it for some reason and the situation is they get a penalty and win 1-0.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Following a late surge in their last match, Craig Lynch said: “The whole 90 minutes summed up our whole season, everything we have experienced has been put into a game to end the season off.
“3-0 down, I didn’t think we deserved it, but I thought we started well, Thomson was in one-on-one and just a better touch he’d be in on goal.
“And the goals we conceded, two headers unmarked and the third he got down to the touchline and pulled it back and you’re 3-0 down.”
LAST TIME WE MET
Last year in the Northumberland Senior Cup, Blyth and Morpeth faced each other in the quarter-finals at Craik Park, when then-Blyth winger Connor Thomson, now Morpeth Town, scored the only goal for The Spartans as they won 1-0.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Join Ben Lightfoot and Lewis McNall on Blyth Live from 7:15 pm.
Alternatively, you can follow the game via our social media platforms.