This Saturday we welcome Morpeth for their first ever visit to Marston Road. This must be the longest journey Morpeth have had to make for a league game. Historically the traditional Northern League side were happy to play in the North East with the odd trip to Wembley in the FA Vase. Now, with promotion to step 4, many of the progressive ex Northern League sides are seeing the benefit of playing in the pyramid and they now wish to emulate Spennymoor and South Shields. Marske and Dunston are currently flying the North East flag in Division 1. Last season Morpeth won division 1 with a 12-point margin over second placed Pontefract and are certainly holding their own this season. The ex-Northern League sides at first found traveling a big problem but this season Morpeth on the road in the league have won 5, drawn 2 and lost 6, showing signs very much of a comfortable min table side, supported by their current 10th place in the table.
On the road they can count a victory at Warrington as their best performance and in the main they have beaten most of our relegation rivals so Saturday’s game cannot be seen as an easy ride for us. With the exception of Bamber Bridge their defeats have all come at top sides. Morpeth come into the fixture with current form of 2 wins, a draw and 2 defeats, again cementing their mid table placing.
Morpeth was established in 1909. In 1936 they joined the Northern Alliance in 1936. They won that league in 1984, and when becoming champions again in 1994 they were promoted to the Northern League division 2. Promotion was secured in their second season, but relegation followed 2010. 2013 saw them regain their spot in division 1. The 2015–16 season saw Morpeth reach the final of the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium, where they defeated Hereford 4–1 to win the competition. After finishing as runners-up again in 2017–18, they were promoted to Division One East of the Northern Premier League at step 4, wining that step to join us in step 3
Although a small own, several famous people came from Morpeth. The great sailor Admiral Lord Collingwood, who was Admiral Nelson’s second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar, came from Morpeth. He lived in Collingwood House, which is now marked by a plaque. A more controversial figure was Emily Davison, who campaigned for women to get the vote in the early 20th century. She was killed at the Epsom Derby in 1913 when she ran in front of the king’s racehorse. She was buried in Morpeth, and her gravestone can still be seen. Morpeth survived World War II relatively unscathed, though several pillboxes were built to defend the river crossing and the main road north. The closest the war came was when a Heinkel 111 German bomber, crashed close to Howburn Wood. Morpeth also lies on the main London Edinburgh main line and trains have to slow to negotiate a very sharp curve near the station. Sadly, there have been two serious rail disasters here. Can we derail Morpeth to get 3 much needed points on Saturday?
Games played on February22nd this century.
2014 Blyth H 2-2 Norther Premier League
