Debutant Callum Saunders bags brace to earn Witton Albion first league win of season at Morpeth Town

Witton Albion celebrate their winner against Morpeth. Credit: Rory Drake

Witton Albion debutant Callum Saunders hit a brace as he helped his new side come from behind to win 2-1, earning their first league win of the season in the process.

Saunders joined Witton on Friday after a stint at Nantwich Town. The former Crewe Alexandra striker went straight into the line up and made an almost immediate impact.

The Cheshire side were bottom of the league going into the game and must have felt another defeat was on the way after conceding after just seven minutes to Jeff Henderson.

But Saunders levelled the match soon after, and he added a second shortly after the break to turn the game on it’s head and hand the points to Albion.

Saunders’ place on the teamsheet was not a surprise given he was joining a team short of form, but experienced defender Steve McNulty dropping to the bench did come as a surprise, and was perhaps due to Morpeth’s ground having a new 3G surface.

The ground developments at Morpeth over the last few years have made a real difference to the ground, and despite their current lowly position the club definitely seems to be moving forward off the field.

On it, it was just the Highwaymen’s fourth game on their new surface after a defeat against Bamber Bridge and wins against Atherton Collieries and Hyde United.

Morpeth’s team against Witton was strong. Ryan Donaldson, Liam Noble and Connor Oliver have all impressed at higher levels in years gone by, while Carl Finnigan has starred for South Shields at this level.

And it was the hosts who started the game the brighter forcing a couple of early corners, one of which led to the opening goal.

Noble’s cross was met by Sean Taylor but his effort was blocked, fortunately for Morpeth it fell perfectly for Henderson to fire home from close range.

The equaliser came in the 13th minute. A breakaway down the left-hand side from Jawad Jerrin saw him find space for a cross, which was well measured and found Saunders in acres of space to volley home a stunning goal to open his Witton Albion account.

Despite the two sides sitting in the bottom two going into the game the match got off to an entertaining start, but both sides would struggle to create clear cut chances as the game went on.

Midway through the first half the visitors had a succession of corners where five or six were delivered and not properly cleared by Morpeth, but at the same time Witton struggled to threaten from them.

Shortly before half time the hosts’ two former Hartlepool United men were involved in their best chance of re-taking the lead. Donaldson was fouled outside the area, with Noble stepping up to take the freekick, which forced a low save out of visiting keeper Greg Hall.

Witton wasted no time in putting themselves ahead after the break, with a goal that came in a similar fashion to their first.

A counter attack saw Saunders played in, and he coolly pulled the ball back before dinking it over the onrushing Dan Lowson in the Morpeth goal.

Both teams went looking for another goal after this point but chances continued to be at a premium. The closest anyone came was Saunders, with just over 10 minutes to go, who couldn’t get enough on a header to beat Lowson for a third time.

It was not quite a perfect debut for the Istanbul-born striker however, as am injury picked up in the second half saw him replaced before the game was out, with McNulty coming on in his place to help the visitors see the game out.

Callum Saunders receives treatment. Credit: Rory Drake

The result left Morpeth sitting bottom of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and also saw Morpeth manager Stephen Turnbull resign from his post following a poor start to the campaign.

Things are not likely to get easier for managerless Morpeth soon, with high flying Lancaster City up next on Tuesday night. For Witton, however, there is now reason for optimism, but they too face a very tough test in midweek with a visit to second place Matlock Town.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt