Town fire blanks in NYD derby clash

The Morpeth striker showed great control and swivelled into a yard of space on the left angle of the box before unleashing a shot that left Blyth keeper Ollie Basey helpless - but it clipped the outside of the post and went wide.

It was the closest either side were to breaking the deadlock in the cold, wet, driving sleet and wind at Craik Park in front of a good crowd of 1,182.

While Town enjoyed most of the possession, Spartans dug in to prove solid and hard to break down with a number of new faces in the side, most notably Paddy Almond who organised the back line well.

When Morpeth did create the openings, they just didn't get that little break or touch of fortune in front of goal to make the breakthrough, especially when they were well on top in the opening 20 minutes of the second period.

Not only did James go close, shortly after Will Dowling had a great opportunity but headed straight at Basey from 8 yards from Jack Foalle's right wing delivery.

The awful conditions didn’t help with Morpeth kicking into a stiff breeze in the opening period that saw young Ewan McGowan limp off to be replaced by the returning Fenton John after a lengthy spell out injured.

The amber and blacks forced a number of corners without really troubling a Spartans side that was unrecognisable from the team they beat 4-1 earlier in the season as boss Michael Connor’s overhaul at Croft Park gets underway.

Soon after the break Foalle released James whose drilled shot was saved by Basey at his near post as the Highwaymen came out with renewed intent.

After the on-loan South Shields striker had hit the woodwork, against the side he was on-loan at last season in the National League North, Nic Bollado let fly but his effort was well over.

Foalle and John were combining well down the right and when the latter pulled back a dangerous low ball from the byline it just evaded the in-rushing Bollado as Morpeth looked more likely to score.

But they were given a scare down at the other end in a rare Blyth break that saw Dean Briggs roll in to Dan Myers, who flashed a cross shot wide to the agony of the Blyth fans sheltered under the roof behind the goal.

Former Blyth man Jordan Hickey pulled a shot wide from 25 yards and John burst forward after playing a couple of passes but his shot from 20 yards was smothered by Basey.

Dowling had an effort blocked from a half-cleared corner as the physical Blyth side worked hard to deny an opening, though they were almost undone late on when Bollado got in behind but the bouncing ball just wouldn’t sit for him to unleash the volley that he was winding up to hit.

The point kept the Highwaymen in tenth spot in the NPL Premier table with Spartans eight points adrift from Mickleover down in the basement.