Morpeth Town's game plan works to perfection as they beat Macclesfield

The Highwaymen displayed a different side of their game, replacing the usual verve and vigour with a more restrained, no less committed, and controlled performance that saw their game management rise to the fore.

The Silkmen looked to build on their impressive 2-1 success at Marine during midweek.

They started strongly and threatened on four minutes when Neil Kengni shot straight at keeper Dan Lowson, before the latter got down smartly to deny the visitors at the near post on seven minutes.

Morpeth started to find their feet and had a few half chances come and go before they took the lead on 25 minutes.

Michael Turner is developing quite a habit of scoring goals, netting his third in two games. The centre-back sent Liam Noble’s near post corner goalward – it might have taken a deflection, but the end result is all that mattered.

Town doubled their lead on 31 minutes thanks to the returning Fenton John. The Middlesbrough loanee, who scored two in seven appearances during his previous loan spell last season, started his current spell with a ‘debut’ goal.

A long ball forward was cleared poorly by the Macclesfield centre-backs, allowing Noble to race on to the loose ball, he crossed for Sam Hodgson, but the striker was denied by keeper Conor O’Keefe before John reacted quickest to beat the keeper on the follow-up.

John Rooney had a shot blocked by Turner on 38 minutes before being denied by Lowson on the stroke of half time as the visitors sought a foothold.

The second half saw Macclesfield pushing for a goal, with Alex Curran drilling a shot wide of the far post on 59 minutes.

Vinnie Steels raced through but slid a shot just past the far post on the hour mark before just missing Hodgson with a cross on 73 minutes as Town looked the more likely to score.

They could have had a third on 81 minutes, but O’Keefe denied substitute Andrew Johnson.

Morpeth moved up to a league-high seventh ahead of their game at Lancaster City on Tuesday night.