NPL First Division Midlands
September 27, 2025
Goals from Niall Davie, Kieren Watson and Niall Hylton saw Carlton Town win a first-ever encounter with Boldmere St Michaels.
Carlton’s joy at the win was tempered somewhat by a serious injury to Dan Brown who suffered a broken jaw and two broken teeth in a collision with Boldmere’s Freddie Cockerell and was taken to hospital for emergency dental surgery. The popular centre half, who was virtually ever-present for three years until last season and who swept the board in the club awards in 2022-23, will now have another lengthy spell on the sidelines. Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy and full recovery.
Brown’s compatriot Dean Freeman, who alongside Brown has been the bedrock of the Carlton defence for the last three seasons, also left the field injured in the first half. But their replacements Shea Thompson-Harris and Ewan Robson played so well that the biggest compliment that can be paid to them is that there was no noticeable difference in the quality of the Millers defending after they came on.
For Carlton’s first league game in a months, Andy Clerke and Mark Harvey made four changes to the side which had beaten Clifton in midweek in the Notts Senior Cup. Liam Bateman, Greg Tempest, Kieren Watson and Hylton replaced Thompson-Harris, Robson, Alex Troke and Liam Moran.
Before the start of the game there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence in memory of Billy Vigar, a Chichester City player who tragically lost his life in a match seven days earlier.
On a difficult playing surface the Mikes had the first chance of the game when Felix Annan was called upon to make a fine save from Kaireice Cunningham after some good play by the dangerous Frankie Ealing.
Carlton responded and Tempest, who had an impressive afternoon, played the ball to Hylton on the right. He cut inside and saw his shot palmed away by Jonathan Brown.
The Millers opened the scoring on 16 minutes. Oliver Clark was brought down just outside the area. Lamin Manneh’s free kick was deflected over for a corner. Tempest took it and his pinpoint delivery found Davie at the far post who headed home.
Boldmere responded and a vicious swerving drive from Harry Wakefield drew a fine save from Annan. The reprieve was short lived as the home side equalised on 20 minutes. Cunningham advanced into the area on the left and his flick was headed home by Cockerell.
Boldmere had their tails up and a powerful drive from Daniel O’Callaghan was deflected over the top.
Carlton through regained the lead just before the half hour with a fine goal. Davie advanced down the left and sent over a delightful cross which Kieren Watson tapped in at the far post.
Shortly after that came the incident involving Dan Brown and that led to a lengthy delay before he left the field, replaced by Thompson-Harris. Moments after the restart Freeman also went down having seemingly twisted his ankle and he was replaced by Robson.
Boldmere pushed forward and were only denied by a fantastic tip over the bar from Annan from a Wakefield shot on the stroke of half time.
The second half was a different affair. Alex Howes, Clark and Tempest dominated the midfield and Hylton and Manneh were constant thorns in the Boldmere sides. Tempest and Kieren Watson combined to set up Howes, but his volley didn’t quite connect. Hylton then fed Manneh who sped away down the right and his cross was just beyond Kieren Watson.
At the back, Robson and Thompson-Harris dealt with the Boldmere threat but Carlton always needed the cushion of a third goal. That came on 62 minutes when Hylton, on the right touchline, bamboozled the home defence, darted into the area and fired beyond Jonathan Brown to the delight of the handful of travelling fans in the small attendance.
Thompson-Harris had to be alert to make one timely interception but in truth the remainder of the game was a series of Carlton Town attacks. Manneh drew a fine save from the home goalkeeper after being set up by substitute Moran. Moran himself then should have scored when he won the ball from Connor Armstrong on the half way line, outpaced O’Callaghan and went one on one with goalkeeper Brown, but the keeper saved his effort.
Bateman made a fine clearance late on to keep the home side at bay and at the other end Moran chased down a poor clearance and crashed an angled drive against the crossbar.
Robson was on hand to make one final interception in added time but the Millers saw out the game in relative comfort and received deserved applause from their supporters at the end.
Carlton Town: F Annan, L Bateman, N Davie, D Brown (S Thompson-Harris 34), D Freeman (E Robson 37), A Howes, L Manneh, G Tempest, K Watson (L Moran 63), O Clark (L Durow 83), N Hylton. Unused substitutes: N Saunders
Goals: N Davie 16, K Watson 29, N Hylton 62; Freddie Cockerell 20
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: N Hylton
Att: 86
