Morpeth chalk up another point on the road

The Highwaymen were leading 2-1 with just a couple of added minutes to go when Jamie Allen chested down a cross and sub Nathan Buddle stretched to tackle and deny him with the ball bouncing dangerously into the six yard box.

The referee blew for a foul and booked Buddle in the bargain after the experienced defender was left infuriated by the decision.

“The referee has given a penalty and he’s got to be 100 percent sure,” said gaffer Craig Lynch after.

“He said that Budds has won the ball but he’s gone through the player – we’ll watch it back. There’s nothing you can do after the game, but you’ve got to be 100 percent and as soon as he’s tackled him the whistle was in his mouth.”

Town are on the road again this Saturday when they make the long journey down to FC United of Manchester.

The Reds were 1-0 winners at Craik Park on the opening day of the season and although they have struggled with their form, they hammered Prescot Cables 4-0 at Broadhurst Park on Boxing Day in front of a crowd of almost 2,000.

Tenth-placed Morpeth soaked up the early Workington pressure in went in ahead at the break when Will Dowling’s curling shot from the left edge of the box was parried by keeper Alex Mitchell and he followed up to side foot in the opener on the volley.

The Cumbrians levelled mid-way through the second half as Efe Ambrose arrived late in the box and powered in a header off the underside of the bar from a Dav Symington corner.

But the amber and blacks soon regained their advantage as Luke James swept a superb ball out to Jack Foalle, who beat his man and crossed back to James. With three defenders around him, he wriggled an opening and shot home low off the inside of the post.

Steven Rigg slammed home the late spot-kick to level.

“The lads were fantastic and I couldn’t fault them – it’s a brilliant point in the end,” said Lynch.

Morpeth have signed Nathan Snowball on a month-long loan from League Two Morecambe. The young defender was in the squad at Workington and in yesterday’s eagerly-anticipated New Year’s Day NPL Premier League derby clash with bottom-of-the-table Blyth Spartans at Craik Park.