HIGHWAYMEN AIM TO STEAL SUCCESS OF ADVERSARIES
WHILE plenty of attention has been given to South Shield’s impressive rise up the Non-League pyramid, local rivals Morpeth Town have been quietly embarking on their own upward progression.
Since winning promotion from the Northern League last season, the Highwaymen have blown most of their opponents out of the water in this season’s Northern Premier League East to sit proudly at the top of the table ahead of this weekend’s action.
Before Saturday’s game against Lincoln United, Nick Gray’s side topped the league’s goal scoring charts having found the net 21 times in their opening eight games and also had the sternest defence in the division, conceding on just five occasions.
“After getting promoted last season we were determined to prove ourselves at this level and we have grasped the opportunity with both hands” a delighted Gray told The NLP.
“We came into this season with the aim of reaching the play-offs and for now at least that target has not changed.
“I think we will know more about how we will cope this year after playing a few more away games.
“We are by far the most Northern side in the division, which means that we will be racking up the miles to travel to away games which could be very tough, especially in midweek when a lot of my players are usually working.”
The new campaign has required a certain degree of adaptation for Gray after former joint-manager Dave Malone left the Highwaymen over the summer, but the Morpeth boss insists that his transition into becoming the club’s sole manager has been a relatively seamless process.
Gray remarked: “I am still really good friends with Dave and we still speak on a weekly and sometimes even daily basis. I’ve got great people around me and I brought Craig Lynch and Stephen Turnbull into the coaching set up over the summer, who have both been absolutely brilliant so far this season.”
Gray has been in the hot seat at Morpeth for the past eight years and has guided the Northumberland based club from Northern League Division Two to Step 4 for thre first time in the club’s history, as well as leading the Highwayman to FA Vase glory in 2016.
“When I think about my time in charge winning the FA Vase stands out as the definite highlight so far” said the Morpeth boss. “To beat Hereford at Wembley in front of such a big crowd was a really proud day for both the club and the town.
“Managing at Wembley is a dream for any coach and it doesn’t really get much better than walking away with a winner’s medal”.
Following the FA Vase triumph, Gray came close to leaving Morpeth to pursue a coaching opportunity in China, however his decision to remain at the club has heralded a continuation of success on the pitch.
The former Bedlington Terriers and Durham City player went on: “I had agreed to go to China and was all set to leave but I began to become skeptical of the move when things that I had been previously promised didn’t appear in my contract.
“I am a full-time coach and if a chance like that comes up again I may well consider it but at the time it just wasn’t quite right.
“The club have been absolutely brilliant to me and it’s been great to repay their faith by helping to deliver some decent results over the last few years. I want to take Morpeth as far as I can and I believe that there is definitely scope for more progressionat the club.
“We have managed to beat the likes of Blyth Spartans before and hopefully one day we will be able to compete in the same league as them.
“That’s looking a long way ahead though and for now it is vital that we keep our minds on the league and continue to work hard as we always do.”