Railwaymen on track in heavyweight battle

Morpeth Town’s Wayne Phillips (left) takes on Shildon’s Matty Robson in yesterday’s FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round IT seemed almost cruel that two Northern League heavyweights should meet so early in the FA Cup.

But it was the red corner that came out on top as Shildon’s Matty Robson and Louis Dodds delivered knockout blows to send Morpeth Town out of the FA Cup.

The hosts got off to the perfect start as Matty Robson put them ahead in the ninth minute.

A Michael Turner foul on Adam Burnicle led to a penalty kick and the former Hartlepool United full-back made no mistake from the spot, sending Karl Dryden the wrong way with his effort.

The visitors were almost on level terms within minutes and would have been if not for the brilliance of Railwaymen keeper Nick Liversedge.

A Sean Taylor cross found Mark Davison at the far post but his header was expertly saved by the Shildon number one.

The action was non-stop, with both sides trading blows and it was the hosts that stayed on top as the quarter of an hour mark passed.

Jamie Harwood forced Dryden into the action again, with the Highwaymen keeper managing to tip a 20-yard shot over the crossbar.

The high-quality battle that many predicted continued, as both sides hitting the woodwork.

Joe Walton’s chip beat Shildon keeper Liversedge but rebounded off the post and away to safety.

Minutes later it was the hosts that were denied by the woodwork as player-manager Daniel Moore struck a post with a shot from the edge of