Morpeth break points total record on final day

A 62-point haul and an eighth-placed finish in the NPL Premier Division gave the Highwaymen their best finish in six seasons at step three in the pyramid – though two of those were affected by Covid.

The amber and blacks recorded another point on the road on the final day at Warrington Rylands as Danny Barlow put them ahead with ten minutes to go, only for George Waring to grab a last-gasp leveller.

That ensured Craig Lynch’s side took 36 points on their travels – a total only bettered by Guisley, Worksop and runaway champions Macclesfield.

“The home form has been a bit disappointing – there’s probably five or six games where we’ve gone ahead and we’ve either lost or drawn, so we’ve probably dropped ten points at home that we’re not used to,” reflected gaffer Lynch.

“But on the flip side our away form has been unbelievable, so if you get that right, you’re sitting third or fourth. But it’s a hard one to do – it’s something to look at but we’ve tried six or seven different formations this season and it’s testament to the lads because not one of them moaned and they got on with it.”

“I think that why our away form has been so good, because everyone has stuck together. I think it’s been an unbelievable season.”

A flowing move saw Nic Bollado feed Leon Gibson-Booth down the left and his pin-point cross was nodded back across goal by Jack Foalle for Barlow to head smartly into the roof of the net.

But the hosts netted two minutes into stoppage time.

“I never felt we were going to get beat but they were always a threat because they’ve got good quality and they’ve nicked one from a free kick, which is probably soft, but we should have had a blatant penalty and no-one’s seen it. It was still a big game because we needed a point for the best ever points tally,” continued Lynch.

“We tried to stabilise the club and make it more sustainable – it’s been an absolute money pit for years and we had to make big changes – six figure changes, in the summer – and it was all about making it more enjoyable for Ken (Beattie, owner) who’s put his heart and soul into this club along with a lot of money and you can’t keep doing that. It’s a miracle, really, what we have done.”