Morpeth RFC secure a crucial win with a storming second-half display against Upper Eden

How valuable this result will become at the end of the campaign is open to conjecture. The table is very congested and with most teams capable of beating each other on any given day, there is every indication that both promotion and relegation will be only be decided towards the very last games of the season.

This was a quite remarkable match and ultimately a fine display from the Mitford Road outfit. Yet, other than for a short period of time, the visitors outplayed a strangely lethargic Morpeth side during a first 40 minutes when a catalogue of home errors were punished by an Upper Eden side, who penned Morpeth back with some astute kicking and clinical handling.

It was the visitors who immediately looked dangerous. A defensive handling error by Morpeth gave the visitors an attacking scrum after two minutes. Whilst that set piece was well defended, it was only through the tireless work of Carl Hill, Elliott Clark and Ben Jackson that enabled Morpeth to survive.

It took until ninth minute before Morpeth threatened. It was a spell of attacking phases that ultimately ended disastrously for the home side.

Dan Goose, taking the lead from his fellow forwards, ran strongly assisted by flanker Ryan Shaw. Both props, Theo Gavaghan and Hus Yilmaz, were involved as Morpeth retained possession through a number of phases.

As the home side threatened around the Eden 22 line a Morpeth attacking kick was charged down. There was only one winner in the foot race that followed. A touch down under the posts for the visitors made the conversion a formality.

Then the home side were penalised at the restart to enable the visitors to once more camp within the Morpeth 22 area.

On 25 minutes it was no surprise when the visitors increased their lead with a well worked score. After spurning a penalty in front of the posts, a tap penalty saw the ball recycled and worked wide for a deserved unconverted try.

Finally, on the half hour, Morpeth applied some pressure. Clark, who was a threat throughout, crucially taking the ball at pace, running at gaps rather than contact, was held up over the try line after failing to ground the ball.

Then, on 36 minutes the home side scored. It came initially from an attacking lineout. First, Hill went close, before Shaw showed awareness and skill to touch down through a melee of players.

Crucially, in the context of the game as a whole, Morpeth then held out in the final moments of the half as the visitors pressed again. Half time score 5-12.

The second half showed Morpeth at their best. On 48 minutes they scored an excellent try through scrum half Tom Dungait, after recycled ball followed good runs from Goose and Joe Nelless.

Then a super kick pass, via an opposition player by Sam Hornby, set winger Harry Hoggan away on a strong run. The constant pressure led to Morpeth penalty chances on 56 and 62 minutes, which unfortunately Jake McKay was unable to convert. But they were not to be denied.

The ebullient Tom Leeson had entered the fray and made an immediate impact with a couple of storming runs, and it was no surprise when Morpeth took the lead with a super try.

Initially Jake Stevenson counter attacked and beat a couple of players, Hill then took the ball on before Cade Whitfield scored from close range. McKay made an excellent conversion.

The final score came on 71 minutes through Dan Stafford. It came initially from a defensive scrum, then a super pick up by Clark, who subsequently stormed away on a 50-metre run. Recycled ball saw another Stevenson break before Stafford buried over close to the Upper Eden line. McKay kicked another good conversion.

It was another fine score to cap off a victory that certainly didn’t look possible after the first half hour or so. Final score 24-12.