Hodgson hits winner in Morpeth Bank Holiday clash

The Highwaymen travel down to Warrington Rylands for their final league game on Saturday, then are preparing for their NFA Senior Cup Final appearance against Heaton Stannington on Wednesday 14th May at St. James’s Park.

The on-loan Blyth Spartans striker took a lovely touch to control around the penalty spot then span and fired into the bottom corner of the Workington net to win it in the 57th minute.

He’d had an earlier opportunity to lash home after taking a touch when Josh Robson headed back across goal just before the break, but was denied by a brave save from the sprawling Alex Mitchell.

With the visiting supporters dressed as seagulls, boxes and chips and pirates in the 668 crowd, Morpeth created the best of the chances.

Will Dowling lashed one wide from 20 yards and Danny Barlow’s driving run beyond three players saw him drill low straight at Mitchell.

Dan Langley saved well to keep out a Steven Rigg header shortly before Hodgson broke the deadlock, then the efforts were all from the amber and blacks, with Mitchell diving to turn a Dowling drive around the post.

Workington were reduced to ten men when Steve Swinglehurst saw red and the seagull’s head, pints, and all sorts were thrown on the pitch in frustration when the Reds fans felt they should have had a penalty.

Subs Josh King and Nic Bollado combined late on and the latter’s low driven cross was cleared with Barlow lurking, while Bollado himself had a low drive saved by the keeper’s feet at the near post.

Morpeth had taken a good point at play-off chasing Stockton Town on the Saturday.

The Highwaymen led when Bollado headed in Dowling’s pin-point cross in the tenth minute in front of a crowd of 1,249 at Bishopton Road West, but Stephen Thompson levelled in the 22nd minute.

Morpeth have now equalled their record 61-point total in the NPL Premier achieved three seasons ago, and they’ll be looking to break that at Warrington this weekend.

Town are still eighth in the table, behind Gainsborough on goal difference, and a victory could possibly move them up to sixth place if results go their way.