TOWN’S fading promotion hopes were blown away completely as Peter Mulcaster’s ten men slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season at Morpeth on Saturday.
Town
arrived at Craik Park knowing nothing less than a victory would keep their
promotion hopes alive and it may have been a different story had Ian
Smurthwaite not been dismissed after 25
minutes with the score still at 0-0.
Mulcaster rang the changes following Wednesday night’s cup semi final victory over Jarrow Roofing with Smurthwaite, James Bowman, Marcus Laing and Steve Butterworth coming in for Craig Winter, Andrew Porritt, Dave Alderson and Col Anderson.
Town
started slowly but were still very much in the game when Smurthwaite saw red
for an alleged professional foul on Mickey Chilton mid-way through the first half, and as he made the long walk down the tunnel, Town’s promotion hopes
went with him.
Chilton
soon put the Highwaymen ahead and it was all over for Town when Stephen
Anderson and Ashley McAlpine added further efforts just before the break.
It
was now just a case of how many the hosts would score. Chilton added a second soon
after the restart, his 40th goal of the season, before Alex Benjamin and Damon Mullen added to the Town
misery in the closing stages.
“It was a very poor performance,” said Mulcaster. “I’m very dissatisfied with some of the players but I have to say Morpeth were head and shoulders above us.”
With
promotion now over for another season, Mulcaster's side can turn their attention to the final two home matches against Whitehaven and Thornaby this week, before the final of the Ernest Armstrong Cup next Monday evening.
Town, and their loyal band of supporters, will be hoping for a better performance than they witnessed here.
TOWN - Briggs, Banks, Smurthwaite, Hickman, Shoulder, Butterworth, Parkin, Laing, Bowman, Emson, Dunwell. Subs - Winter, Porritt.
REFEREE - M. Bunting
ATTENDANCE: 132
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