Anna Antonia Rota reports on the yet another FA Vase for a Northern League Team
Winning the trophy, the Highwaymen secured the Northern League’s seventh FA Vase triumph in the last eight years.
The Northumberland’s side victory, follows the previous triumphs of Whitley Bay, Dunston UTS, Spennymoor Town and North Shields, means the Vase is heading back to the north east yet again.
Hereford FC had been successful in all 20 games of their cup games and won 22 in a row coming into the match, but the Bulls failed to capitalise on the support of their 20,000 traveling fans.
Explosive start
Despite Rod Purdie’s explosive early opener, Hereford FC wasted many chances in the first half.
The Bulls’ wasteful tendency was punished in the second half with a an equaliser from 45-year-old Chris Swailes. He chested the ball into an open net after an unbelievable goalkeeping mistake to become the oldest scorer at Wembley.
Swailes’ strike sparked the Highwaymen back into action with each attack searching for the next goal.
Morpeth Town took the lead after less than a minute into the second half. Sean Taylor’s low ball across the box found Luke Carr, who guided his effort into the far corner.
Cherry on the cake
Later Taylor found a goal of his own thanks to Michael Chilton’s control and pass to the winger, who kicked the ball right past Martin Horsell.
In a last desperate attempt to save the match the Bulls’ introduces the 53-goal striker John Mills, who unfortunately could still not get Hereford firing.
Mustapha Bundu for Hereford FC saw a header cleared off the line by Morpeth Town’s Damien Muellen in a goal-mouth scramble in the closing minutes.
During the last 4 minutes of extra time The Highwaymen put the cherry on the cake scoring the fourth and final goal of the match with Shaun Bell hitting the target just a few minutes after coming on.
Morpeth Town deservedly maintained the Northern League’s recent supremacy over the FA Vase competition, which began with Whitley Bay’s triumph in 2008/09.