TURN THAT TOWN UPSIDE DOWN
Wembley had a decidedly unbalanced feel to it as the FA Vase final got underway. Away to the right were near 20,000 Hereford United fans, bedecking the stands in black and white. To the other side, a spattering of Morpeth orange looking a little apprehensive about the task ahead.
Their fears were well-founded as Hereford burst into life from the kickoff.
A good through ball from Sirdic Grant found Rob Purdie in an embarrassment of space.
The Hereford stalwart, with over 100 appearances in the Football League with the Bulls, tore a shot into the left hand corner. It wouldn’t have looked out of place in the cup final the day before.
Hereford continued to push. Pablo Haysham saw an unchallenged header from six yards turned around the post. Joe Tumelty had a volley cleverly saved shortly after. Haysham should have scored but swung at thin air from a matter of metres out.
But Morpeth weren’t here to be trounced. A simple corner was flapped at by Martin Horsell in the Hereford goal, and there was Chris Swailes to chest the ball home at the back post. It wasn’t the prettiest, but the scores were level.
Morpeth came again.
Great play Luke Carr down the left saw the striker lay it on a plate for his partner Michael Chilton. But the number ten used the outside of his boot to agonisingly poke the ball wide.
The second half exploded into life just like the first, but this time Town took the upper hand. Luke Carr hooked the ball across goal and found the corner of the net after just 43 seconds.
It was compact and clever buildup play. Town were maturing as the game grew older.
Just before the hour mark it was three. Chilton with a lovely through ball to Sean Taylor who slotted home expertly from close range.
Even the fans had undergone a power shift, the handful of Northumbrians singing buoyantly about the silence of their counterparts.
Substitutes from both sides were brought on to try and shift the momentum. Hereford’s John Mills seemed to flinch as the ball came to him in the box, moments after coming on. Steven Anderson for Morpeth was introduced but fired a good chance straight at the keeper.
With time running out, another substitute Mustapha Bundu looked to salvage something for the Bulls, but saw his header cleared off the line. Damen Mullen the Morpeth saviour, having spent all season at Blyth.
Just into injury time, Morpeth wrapped it up. Steven Anderson strolled towards the box before rolling the ball to Sean Bell. The fellow substitute found the net with an aid of a hefty deflection and the game was won.
Morpeth had no right to come to London and win today, let alone by the 4-1 scoreline. In a season of struggle for so many in the North East, Town joined Darlington in celebrating a season lined with silverware.
League Winners Hereford, will return to the South stunned.
Alastair Ross - Grim up North 