Craig Lynch urges players to “give it everything” to make Morpeth Town FA Cup history

By Mark Carruthers

Morpeth Town caretaker manager Craig Lynch insisted his side would “give it everything” as they look to make club history in the FA Cup.

The Highwaymen will visit National League North club York City knowing a shock win would put them in the first round proper of the competition for the very first time.

The odds are against Morpeth as they face a Minstermen side that have gradually improved after a difficult start to the season.

However, after enduring a difficult night during their 2-0 midweek defeat at North East rivals South Shields, Lynch is eager to use the lessons learnt at the 1st Cloud Arena to cause an upset at York on Saturday.

“The game at South Shields could help us on Saturday,” he told The NLP.

“It’s away from home against another full-time team, it’s another difficult game.

“On Tuesday night, they dominated possession in the first-half and it will probably be the same at York.

“We dug in, we frustrated them and we got better in the second-half so we might need to put in a similar performance.

“If we can’t get up for Saturday, we shouldn’t be in football, it’s a massive occasion, it’s a massive game, and we are going there to give it everything.”

The defeat at South Shields brought an end to a seven-game unbeaten run overseen by Lynch since he was handed role as the club’s caretaker manager.

The former Sunderland forward is now keen to move on from the first negative of his temporary stint in charge and focus on a big challenge this afternoon.

“If you had said we would get to seven games without being beaten, I would have snapped your hands off.

“I don’t like losing, I am a winner, but losing was always going to happen at some point.

“It happened on Tuesday night, but we will dust ourselves down, this is now another game to focus on for everyone at the club.”

Lynch will assess the fitness of several members of his squad as he hopes his lengthy injury list subsides ahead of the visit to the LNER Community Stadium.