Sam Hodgson on target again in Morpeth win

The on-loan Blyth Spartans hit-man has re-found his form and netted his third in three games, earning the plaudits from gaffer Craig Lynch.

“I’m delighted for Sam,” he said.

“After scoring 25 goals last season for us, due to different circumstances his season this year didn’t get going, but I’m glad it’s all come together and he’s finishing the season strongly. He’s a centre forward - that’s his position not a 10 or a winger and if you play him where you should, he will feed off that and repay you.”

Hodgson put away the Highwaymen’s first chance in the fifteenth minute and the amber and blacks held firm to secure what was their eighth win on the road this season.

“I was really proud of the lads - they’ve given everything for the club. We have 14 ‘first team players’ with academy players mixed in. They’ve bought in to what we want from them and sometimes quality-wise it’s not there, but tactically and the endeavour is seeing us pick up points,” continued Lynch, whose tight-knit side travel down to Leek Town on Saturday in search of more Northern League Premier points, sitting as they are just eight adrift from Stockton in the final play-off spot.

“Leek will be another hard game,” he warned.

“As I always say there’s no easy one and anyone is capable of beating anyone. I think that also was shown with Leek’s result against Hebburn (they were surprise 1-0 winners on South Tyneside on Saturday). We will have a look this week at Leek and see what we need to come up with to try and get the three points.”

“The season so far couldn’t have gone any better - eighth in the league and a Final to look forward to. We had a rebuild in the summer, brought in eight new players and we made some big decisions on and off the pitch to make the club more sustainable, which included a significant drop in the budget. It was done for the best interest of the club. No-one is bigger than a club and we want Morpeth Town to be around for a while.”

Morpeth will find out their NFA Senior Cup Final opponents after Heaton Stannington faced Newcastle United u23s in mid-week.