Highwaymen caught napping as Benfield’s Brayson hits hat-trick

NORTHERN League Division One leaders Morpeth Town were beaten for the third time in four games after a 3-1 home defeat by Newcastle Benfield.

A first-half hat-trick from the prolific Paul Brayson led the visitors to an unexpected win at Craik Park.

There were 15 minutes on the clock when former Morpeth winger Luke Carr set up Brayson for his first goal and he doubled his tally and Benfield’s lead just before the half-hour mark.

A hat-trick seemed inevitable and it duly arrived two minutes before the break, Brayson making the most of another assist from Carr by rounding Highwaymen keeper Karl Dryden and sliding the ball into an empty net.

The hosts put Benfield under constant pressure after the interval and had chances through the likes of Mark Davison and Liam Henderson.

But it was a case of too little, too late when former Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott netted his first goal for the Highwaymen in injury-time.

The defeat leaves Morpeth 14 points clear of second-placed Consett and a four points clear of West Auckland.

FA Vase quarter-finalists Markse United lie in fourth, 21 points behind Morpeth but do hold 10 games in hand over the Highwaymen.

Blyth AFC moved second in Division Two with a comfortable 5-0 home win over Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, the Braves with a winning debut at their temporary Woodhorn Lane home.

Bobby Taylor gave them a first-half lead and they romped to the three points with four goals after the break by Michael Chilton, Kyle Oliver, David Robinson and Gary Day as their side made it 20 goals in just four games.

West Allotment Celtic fell to a 4-1 defeat at Esh Winning, despite taking the lead thanks to a Gary McCartney goal.

The visitors were reduced to ten men when Gary Ives brought down Kai Hewitson in the area. The Esh striker stepped up to take the spot-kick and confidently put his side back on level-terms.

Second-half goals from Nick Marley, Max Stoker and Hewitson gave Esh an impressive three points.