BY Liam O’Brien
In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
FA Youth Cup First Round Qualifying
Friday October 2, 2020
BLTYH SPARTANS 0-4 MORPETH TOWN
Michael Nelson’s Blyth Spartans went crashing out of the FA Youth Cup as Morpeth Town came out 4-0 at Croft Park.
Campion Brewis opened the scoring in the 29th minute before Nathan Best doubled the visitors’ tally, nine minutes later.
Morpeth added two more in the second half. Substitute Jay Gibson scored in the 73rd minute before Sam Warren made it 4-0 with a thunderous free-kick.
The early stages of the match were a cagey affair with both teams throwing in some strong tackles.
Blyth’s Jamie Norvell got a chance in the seventh minute when he went on a mazy run past several Morpeth defenders but his strike at goal was saved comfortably by Tom Shanley.
Morpeth had a chance a few minutes later when Johnathan Crisp had a strike at goal that was deflected out for a corner.
As the game went on, Morpeth managed to take control on the game but lacked clear cut chances until the 29th-minute when they took lead thanks to Brewis.
Some quick passes between him and Ryan O’Connor eventually ended with him dribbling past the Blyth defence and calmly slotting the ball into the far corner of the net.
Morpeth continued to apply the pressure on Blyth with Crisp had another effort from outside the box but this time he dragged his shot wide.
The Highwaymen got their second in the 38th minute when Warren’s strike clattered against the woodwork. It then bounced kindly to the feet of Best, who tapped home into an open goal.
Spartans managed to get into the game more in the second half but still struggled to create any clear cut chances.
In the 51st minute, Norvell had an effort at goal that was deflected out for a corner. He then managed to get a headed effort from the resulting corner, which drifted wide.
Jay Bell carved out a decent chance for Blyth in the 66th minute when he collected the ball about 20 yards out and unleashed a strike towards goal that went narrowly wide of the far post.
But Brewis continued to cause Spartans problems.
A quick free-kick routine resulted in Michael Spellman drilling the ball into the box for Brewis who had a curling effort at goal that went narrowly wide of the far post.
Morpeth did make it 3-0 in the 73rd minute when James Bakou sent in a drilled cross into the box that found substitute Gibson, who took it past a defender then slotted it past Cal Elliott, who had been excellent in the Spartans goa.
A few minutes later, it was 4-0 with the goal of the evening as Warren rocketed his free-kcik into the top right corner.
Morpeth almost made it 5-0 when substitute Dylan Adams had an effort at goal but it was saved by the feet of Elliot. Spellman collected the rebound but dragged his effort wide.
Spartans: Elliot, McCamley, Towns, Walker, Powton (c), Watson (Morpeth, 45), Norvell, Dawson, Dodds (Hepple, 65), Wilson (Hands, 77), Bell. Subs not used: Habib, Taylor, Daglish, Cave
Morpeth Town: Shanley, Bakou, Crisp, Warren, Errington (c), Best, Nicholson, O’Connor, Brewis, Turner (Gibson, 72), Spellman. Subs Not Used: Phillips, Adams, Fogarty
Goals: Brewis (29) (38) Gibson (73) Warren (77)