NPL First Division East – 20 April 2024

Goals from Alex Hardwick and Niall Hylton saw Carlton Town to the brink of playoff qualification with a 2-1 win against Consett.

The win, Carlton’s third in eight days in their packed April schedule, moved the Millers eight points clear of rivals Belper Town and left them needing just two more points from the final two games of the season to mathematically confirm the position.

Although the team lacked some of the spark of recent displays, that was more than understandable in the circumstances.  This was Carlton’s fourth game of the week and their eighth in the last three weeks.  The Millers have won six of those eight games and at the final whistle managers Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey were full of praise for the efforts put in by all of the players over that gruelling period.

The managers made two changes to the side which had lost at Liversedge two days earlier with Jevin Seaton making his second full debut for the Millers replacing the injured Lamin Manneh and Dean Freeman replacing the injured David Adegbola.

Consett were also depleted and arrived at Stoke Lane with just 12 players, including manager Anthony Fawcett at centre forward and goalkeeper James Anderson as their only substitute.

In front of a season best home crowd of 384, boosted by a number of the junior teams at the ground, Carlton had the first chance of the game.  Dan Brown broke up an attack before playing the ball to Mamadou Sylla-Diallo.  He moved it forward to Seaton who combined with Hylton before Lewis Durow hit a fierce drive that drew an excellent save from Kelechi Chibueze.

Moments later Consett thought they had scored when Arjun Purewal headed goalwards from a corner, only for Felix Annan to make a magnificent double save.

Shortly afterwards Purewal headed just wide as Consett showed they were not just here to make up the numbers.

The Millers had the ball in the net on 23 minutes when Niall Davie headed home a Durow throw in only for the effort to be disallowed for an unseen push.

But Carlton did take the lead eight minutes before the break with a lovely goal.  Durow fed Hylton who darted down the left wing, beat Ben Milburn before crossing to Hardwick, who timed his run to the near post superbly and deftly flicked the ball past Chibueze.

Goalkeeper Anderson replaced manager Fawcett up front for Consett in the second half but it was Carlton in the ascendancy.

Hardwick drew a good save from Chibueze before Hylton extended Carlton’s lead on 49 minutes.  Davie picked up the ball in his own half, ran at the Consett defence before spreading the ball wide to Seaton.  He sped down the left before pulling the ball back to Hylton who lifted a first time shot beyond Chibueze and into the net.

Minutes later a Durow cross shot was tipped onto the bar by the visitors’ goalkeeper.

Carlton then claimed a penalty after Hylton was tripped in the area following some neat interplay involving Lawrence Gorman, Alex Howes and Seaton.  The referee waved away the claims.

The Steelmen never gave up and the Millers rearguard and midfield had to continue to work hard to keep them at bay, with Howes in particular impressing in a deeper role and Brown as always clearing up dangerous through balls.

The effort of playing four games in a week was clearly visible in the final quarter of the game as Consett pushed forward.  Annan made a superb double save from Wil Shaw to deny the Steelmen but on 83 minutes Shaw pulled a goal back, slotting home after Annan had made an excellent save from Kaleb Young.

Durow volleyed a Gorman cross into net in the final minute of normal time only to see a late offside flag deny him but Carlton saw out the five minutes of added time in relative comfort.

As the referee blew the final whistle at a Carlton corner, a poor challenge by Jack Gibbons led to a melee which saw Gibbons sent off and Micah Jebbison booked.  It was out of keeping with the nature of the match.

The Millers players left the field to richly merited applause from the home crowd.  They have really had to push themselves to the limit in the last week or two and they have delivered to a man.  They have two more games to get through to earn themselves the playoff spot their efforts deserve.

Carlton Town: F Annan, K Sargent (L Gorman 67), L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman (P Dearle 75), M Sylla-Diallo, N Davie (M Jebbison 67), A Howes, A Hardwick, J Seaton, N Hylton.  Unused subs: D Adegbola.

Goals: A Hardwick 37, N Hylton 49; Wil Shaw 83

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Niall Hylton 

Att: 384

NPL First Division East – 18 April 2024

Liversedge had once again been instructed by the league to play this fixture at an alternative venue to their home ground at Clayborn due to ongoing pitch issues. Consequently, their magical mystery tour of ‘home’ matches took them to Ingfield Stadium, the home of Ossett United in West Yorkshire.  A healthy number of Carlton supporters had made the journey, buoyed by the teams very impressive home win against Ossett only two days earlier.

Carlton’s management team made two enforced changes to the side which had played Ossett. Mamadou Sylla Diallo replaced Greg Tempest who was struggling with illness and Alex Hardwick returned in place of Nat Watson who has returned to Shirebrook following the completion of his loan spell. I’m sure everyone at Carlton would send their thanks to both Nat and Shirebrook as he was simply unplayable at times over the last few weeks and a delight to watch.

The match was played out in the type of weather we have all become accustomed to this season with lashing winds and rain affecting conditions. Carlton started brightly and had a good chance to take the lead on eight minutes. A nice passing move along the edge of the box involving Niall Hylton and Niall Davie fed Hardwick who shot just over the crossbar. A few moments later Alex Howes also had a good chance but his effort went well wide.

The next chance fell to Lamin Manneh to struck the ball well but saw his effort punched away by the Liversedge goalkeeper Louis Hood. Liversedge became more involved in the game as the half went on and looked to build on strong runs from their impressive left back, Jeremie Milambo.

It was Carlton who took the lead on 34 minutes. The unfortunate Eddie Church could only manage to head the ball into the roof of his own net when attempting to defend an excellently delivered, Lamin Manneh corner. Church’s half went from bad to worse soon after when his goal bound effort was cleared off the line by Khyle Sargent following some nice interplay by Liversedge in the Carlton penalty area. As good as the clearance was the striker should have scored.

Liversedge had a further chance to equalise before half time. A fortunate deflection saw the ball drop to Milambo whose low driven shot was expertly saved by Felix Annan.

The second half started in a similar manner. Annan made a decent save soon after the restart and Dan Brown was on hand with a good block to deny a goal bound effort as Liversedge searched for an equaliser.  At the other end Sylla Diallo had a good shot from distance well saved by Hood.

The game continued in a frantic, end to end fashion but it was clear that the Carlton players were visibly tiring following their efforts of recent days. Liversedge began to dominate midfield and Jack Carr drew two more fine saves from Annan. Carlton did have a chance to extend their lead on sixty-three minutes. Substitute Micah Jebbison battled well to win the ball down the right-hand side and his trickery released the ball to Lewis Druro whose fine cross just evaded Davie on the stretch at the back post.

Liversedge equalised on sixty-nine minutes when a high ball was knocked down into the path of Sam Essien who scored from close range.

Carlton almost retook the lead moments later when a miskick presented the ball to Alex Hardwick who stuck the ball brilliantly on the half-volley from outside the box, only to see it hit the underside of the crossbar and away to safety.

A fine double save from Liversedge keeper Hood, first from Davie at the edge of the box and then from Jebbison close range effort kept the scores level.

Liversedge got the decisive breakthrough on 85 minutes and it was a breakaway goal worthy of winning any game. A coming together around the half-way line saw the ball drop to Carr who drove towards two Carlton defenders before smashing the ball into the net at an angle from the edge of the box to the delight of the handful of ‘home’ fans in attendance. Liversedge managed the last five minutes of regulation time and the additional five minutes of injury time well and while Carlton huffed and puffed they struggled to offer much of a threat as the game drew to a close.

Carlton Town: F Annan, D Adegbola, L Durow, D Brown, K Sargent (P Dearle 71), M Syla-Diallo, L Manneh (M Jebbison 59), A Howes, A Hardwick (J Seaton 73), N Davie, N Hylton.  Unused subs: D Freeman, Z Hill

Goals: Eddie Church og 34; Samuel Essien 69, Jack Carr 85

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Felix Annan

Att: 92