Morpeth Town fight back to share the spoils in opening day draw away at Basford United

All the goals came in the first half, with Jack Thomas starting the scoring for the home side on seven minutes before Andrew Johnson cancelled that out on 27 minutes.

Remaye Campbell put his side back in front four minutes later, but Chris Reid equalised in the second minute of added time.

Starting five of their new signings, with one on the bench, it was a much-changed line-up for Morpeth that was missing Josh King, Connor Thomson and Jack Foalle through injury, while Jeff Henderson and Ben Sayer were unavailable.

They started fairly well, until a sloppy ball out of defence gifted the hosts the first goal of the afternoon. Thomas striding on to a loose pass to lash a low shot past keeper Dan Lowson.

The Highwaymen nearly conceded a second moments later, but Campbell chipped just wide of the target after an awkward back pass left Morpeth in bother.

Summer signing Vinnie Steels was proving a menace down the right flank and he got his first glimpse of goal when cutting in and firing goalwards.

Both sides settled into the contest, with Morpeth looking comfortable in possession, and a spell in the ascendency resulted in Town equalising on 27 minutes through Johnson. The opportunity was created by Steels, who was given a 10-yard invitation to run at Thomas Angell. The winger burst past the full-back before cutting back for Johnson to score from close range.

That parity lasted all of four minutes with Basford once again getting their noses in front. Campbell netting via a deflection from close range after a corner wasn’t cleared, with Michael Turner seemingly fouled in the area.

Morpeth would show impressive resilience to shrug off that disappointment, with Johnson’s cross to the near post pushed away by keeper Kieran Preston seconds after Basford had gone ahead.

Then, deep into four added minutes at the end of the first half, Town deservedly levelled through Reid.

The defender originally gained possession at the heart of the defence before striding forward. He kept going until a neat through ball found him and he slotted under the keeper to score.

The second half had no goals but plenty of the intrigue as both sides saw an opportunity to register an opening day win.

Sam Hodgson, who only joined on Tuesday on loan from South Shields, put himself about up front for Morpeth and nearly got a goal in 53rd minute after a mistake by the Basford keeper.

Basford had a goal chalked off for offside just after the hour.

It was Morpeth’s turn to have a goal ruled out by the assistant referee on 69 minutes. A ball was swung into the area and it eventually fell to Reid to lash in from close range, but it was deemed offside in the build-up.

Morpeth new recruit Will Jenkins hit the crossbar with six minutes to go, his swirling cross catching Preston out.

Town are next in action with a home double header, starting with Workington’s visit to Craik Park on Tuesday (August 15). That’s followed by Matlock Town’s trip to Northumberland on Saturday.