Report by Ben Marsh.

Carlton made one change from the side that beat Pontefract last Saturday with Jack Newall returning to lead the line for Khyle Sargent who was away. Niall Hylton made his 100th appearance for the Millers.

Liversedge arrived in decent form with two wins in the last two and in an unremarkable opening fifteen minutes, the visitors did have the edge. A well worked low angled free kick from Adam Clayton found Jack Dyche attacking the near post but the striker put his shot well over.

They did have the first clear sight of goal, centre back Dan Hartley found acres of space in the Carlton box from a Clayton corner and was only denied by a stunning Felix Annan save. The ‘cat’ living up to his name and acknowledged by the healthy home support.

That save seemed to spark the home side into life as moments later a lovely passing move involving Newall, Hylton and Lamin Manneh opened up the left channel to Nat Watson. The midfielder dropped the shoulder before rifling a shot past Jake Oram but the crossbar saved Sedge.

Spaces began to open up in wider areas and from a Carlton goal kick, a Watson flick on released Manneh and despite attracting three Liversedge defenders to him, he still advanced into the box and got a shot on target. Oram smothered again with his legs.

After more Millers pressure Alex Howes was charged with corner duties. The delivery landed in the six-yard area and a real mess of limbs resulted in a half clearance but Watson and Manneh combined to retrieve possession but the shot from a tight angle was well defended by the head of Joe Walton.

A moment of real quality then as Watson and Newall exchanged passes in the final third and Hylton dropped off the back of the defensive line. Watson’s pass to him was good and the wingman got his shot away but again, Oram was up to the task with a strong hand to save.  In the final throws of the first half Manneh was booked for what was deemed a late challenge on Hartley.

Liversedge began the second half as they did the first on the front foot and threw numbers forward. Jack Crook though was caught in possession on the edge of the Carlton box by Manneh. The Carlton frontman turned and ran. And ran. He ran away from no less than six opposition players who didn’t lay a glove on him, or even try as he outpaced them over 80 yards before calmly slotting past Oram just before Crook caught up to him as Carlton took the lead to the delight of the crowd behind the goal.

Encouraged by that, the home side pressed on. From a Lewis Durow throw, Watson timed his jump well and flicked on. Hylton held off attentions from Jeremie Milambo on the edge of the box and Newall shot forward and fired at goal but his connection was lacking and Oram was comfortable in the save low to his right.

This league though is relentless and, rewarded for their response after those warning shots, Sedge were back on terms five minutes later as Clayton worked the ball well down the right and found Walton a yard out, the front man nodding home past Annan who did well to get close.

Not to be outdone, Carlton came back at their visitors and from another long throw a superb near post flick on from Dean Freeman found Michael Ford in the six yard box, his header though agonisingly hit the bar with Oram beaten.  

Liversedge did though start to control more of the play. Crook was increasingly more influential. The midfield man dictating the play and his direct running was causing problems for Ford and Howes in the centre of midfield. On one such run, the Sedge man found substitute Chinedu Osadebe in the inside left channel. The tricky wide man firing across the box and just beyond Jack Degruchy at the far post. This became the theme for some minutes with Newall increasingly isolated up front but the young loanee was acquitting himself well to the task but being given nothing by the referee as he was subjected to some harsh treatment from both Hartley and Kurt Harris in the middle of the Liversedge defence.  The youngster, the Carlton fans at that end of the field and those on the home bench all showing their frustration with the officials. For all the possession, Dan Brown and Freeman were relatively untroubled and dealt with threat very well.

As the balance shifted once again, Carlton showed a clinical side with a glorious move. Hylton winning the ball in the centre of the park he handed off to Watson. His wonderful outside of the foot pass to Manneh on the left wing left Alfie Raw in the right back spot out of position and Manneh had the time to place his pass to the feet of Newall who was in space and a yard from goal. He couldn’t miss. It was to be Newall’s final involvement as he made way for latest signing, Harry Goddard. As Sedge pressed forward, space on the break became the Millers’ option and Watson found Goddard in the final third who in turn passed to Manneh but Crook recovered well, showing an excellent turn of pace to snuff out the danger.

Goddard and Watson linked up well again to release Liam Moran who had entered the fray in place of Hylton. The new season recruit wanted too many touches in the box though and the chance was lost.  Carlton were then guilty of more wasteful play. Moran had a great chance as the game entered injury time but Oram made a decent stop. A bizarre moment when the referee adjudged Harris to have played a deliberate back pass to Oram. An indirect free kick on the corner of the six yard box was the result but Watson could only lash the ball over the bar.

As the clock ticked into the ninety fifth minute Carlton thought they’d been awarded a throw in an advanced position down their left. The linesman signalled as much but the referee overruled. Despite that, the Millers were sluggish in getting back but Shea Thompson-Harris was on hand to clear the long ball out of the ground. From a Crook long throw the ball landed in the box and through a mess of bodies a Liversedge body hit the ground under very little contact. No signal from the linesman who was right in front but again, the man with the whistle, stood beyond the crowd signalled for a spot kick. Disbelief round three quarters of the ground, elation behind the Carlton goal from the good numbers of travelling support. After protestations from all parts with home side leanings, Alfie Raw stepped up, kept his composure and smashed the ball down the middle. The protests continued after the final whistle but it didn’t change the result. 

Like most sides in the division the October schedule is heavy for Carlton and they have to dust themselves down and focus as they are on the road this Wednesday where they’ll face high flying Grimsby Borough before another home match against Consett on October 12th.

Carlton Town: F Annan, S Thompson-Harris, L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, M Ford, N Hylton (L Moran 72), A Howes, J Newall (H Goddard 82), N Watson, L Manneh.  Unused Subs: O Soloman, L Stewart-Gorman, N Saunders.

Goals: L Manneh 47, J Newall 71; Joe Walton 56, Alfie Raw 90+8 (pen)

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Lamin Manneh

Att: 276