REPORT: MORPETH TOWN 2-2 UNITED

United twice came from behind to take a deserved point back to Nottinghamshire after a 2-2 draw at Morpeth Town on Saturday.

Jack Foalle opened the scoring for the hosts after 13 minutes before Remaye Campbell’s fine header restored parity seconds later.

Nic Ballado put Town back in front just before the half-time whistle but substitute Jonathan Wafula’s well-taken equaliser mid-way through the second half.

After an uneventful opening few stages – which sadly saw Jordan Hallam withdrawn early on – the game livened up with a duo of United chances that should have yielded an opener.

Firstly, Jack Thomas flashed an effort inches wide of the far post after benefitting from Campbell’s dogged work on the edge of the area.

Then Matt Thornhill – returning from injury and replacing Hallam – was upended in the area before the ball eventually dropped for Josh Barnes who fired just over.

Alas, and against the run of play, Morpeth went ahead when some willing run down the left from Andrew Johnson saw him cross for the onrushing Foalle who flicked home with his end via the underside of the crossbar.

From the restart, however, and again down the left, Thornhill and Barnes combined to release Henri Wilder and his cross for Campbell was tempting enough to head into the far corner beyond a hapless Dan Lowson.

The visitors may have gone in front just seconds after their equaliser when Barnes’ wicked strike nearly caught Lowson out his near post; the ‘keeper doing well to parry behind for a corner.

And Jack Thomas – in similar fashion to Campbell’s equaliser – had a run at another inviting delivery on the right but his header dropped wide of Lowson’s left-hand stick.

But despite the pressure, and with it always likely that both teams would go in ahead on level terms, with little action of note toward the latter stages, Morpeth regained the lead.

Some patient play on the right flank gave Ballado time and space to fire beyond the wrong-footed Kieran Preston, seconds after he clipped the outside of the post.

Wafula was introduced at the break and nearly made an instant impact when he found himself on the end of Campbell’s flicked header but couldn’t quite poke beyond the smothering Lowson.

Vastly experienced striker Nathan Tyson came on for his debut just before the hour and he and Wafula combined with 15 minutes remaining to pull the sides level once more.

On the end of a neat pass, Wafula – featuring extensively for the first time since his shoulder operation back in August – characteristically raced through to fire into Lowson’s far corner to make it two apiece 15 minutes from time.

Campbell went close to snatching all three points late on when his header bounced agonisingly wide of the far stick, possibly nicking the post on the way through before Preston found himself equal to a tame strike from Will Jenkins in the dying seconds.

Next up, we return home to face Guiseley AFC at Greenwich Avenue on Saturday (3pm)

UNITED: Preston; Roma, Wilder, Frizelle, Fenton (c); Ritzema (Tyson 58’), Lewis, Thomas, Barnes (Wafula 45’); Campbell, Hallam (Thornhill 7’)
SUBS (not used): Betts, Dacres

ATT: 238