NPL First Division East
4 March 2023
Carlton Town lost at home to 10-man North Shields as their step 4 status looks increasingly in jeopardy.
To make matters worse, the Millers finally scored first at home, for the first time since mid-November, and went in a half time in the lead but the team looked desperately short of confidence and the Robins’ second half display merited the victory.
Whilst the players kept on trying, and will no doubt continue to do so, the gap even to the relegation play offs is now effectively seven points and its difficult to see where those points are going to come from in the final 10 games of the campaign.
Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made six changes to the side beaten by Hebburn Town last time out. In came Mikey Emery in goal for Richard Stainsby while Lewis Durow, Danny Elliott, Kyle Dixon and Aaron O’Connor replaced Kyle Tomlin, Alex Howes, Khyle Sargent (suspended) and Niall Hylton. There was also a full debut for Oliver Wilson who replaced Brad Wells who departed the club in midweek.
Carlton set off at a high tempo and O’Connor had the first chance of the game on 10 minutes when he volleyed a deep ball from Lawrence Gorman just wide of the post.
Shields responded and Cameron Cunningham fired a free kick high over the bar from a good position.
O’Connor and Connor Oliver ended up in a tangle in the area midway through the half and that unfortunately saw O’Connor have to go off injured, replaced by Hylton.
The Millers came desperately close to scoring on 34 minutes when Nat Watson met a Niall Davie free kick from close range and stabbed the ball goalwards. Aaron Steavens made a superb save and Simon Jakub cleared before anyone in a Carlton shirt could follow up.
The Robins had another fee kick on the edge of the box but this time Oliver put the ball over the stand behind the goal. However, it was Shields centre half who was on hand to clear the danger after a lovely move involving Hylton, Watson and Davie.
Carlton took a deserved lead three minutes before half time when Dean Freeman headed home a Davie corner at the back post.
Shields responded and in first half added time they attacked down the left. Dan Brown, having his usual fine game, intercepted and as he went to clear he was hit by a high tackle from Jonathan-James Chrisp. The referee showed the Shields player a straight red card for serious foul play which did seem harsh to most of the crowd, but what was clear in the second half was that the sense of injustice clearly galvanised the visitors.
They pushed forward from the restart and Emery made a magnificent save from Daniel Wilson on the right hand side before the ball was cleared for a corner. However, Wilson was able to head home from the corner albeit there was a suspicion that the ball may have ricocheted off a Carlton defender.
The Robins’ tails were up and Emery was called upon again to make another excellent save, this time from David Robinson, before Carlton responded with Dixon running half the length of the pitch before earning a corner.
Substitutes Kyle Tomlin and Niall Hylton combined on the right with Tomlin lifting the ball into the penalty area for fellow-substitute Alex Howes. Howes was unmarked but with players closing in fast he really needed to volley straight at goal. He elected to take a touch and then shoot but by then there was cover and his effort was blocked.
Similarly Tomlin and Watson both had half chances which needed to be taken early. Neither was easy but the decision to get the ball under control effectively meant the chances were gone.
Shields made Carlton pay on 88 minutes with the winning goal. Gorman sent a Carlton corner to the back post but there was no-one on hand to convert what would have been a simple chance. Oliver picked up the ball at his own left corner flag and he fired the ball to the half way line as Shields sprinted forward en masse. There were three incisive one-touch passes between the centre of midfield and the right wing as Carlton couldn’t get back into position and Callum Larmouth fired home past Emery with the help of a deflection to the delight of the impressive number of Robins supporters who had made the trip.
Still there was time for Kyle Tomlin to head a Gorman corner against the bar while Howes had to clear off the line after Emery had thrown the ball straight to a Shields player. But Carlton couldn’t find a second goal and the familiar feeling of a home defeat was once again suffered by the Millers faithful.
Carlton Town: M Emery, L Gorman, L Durow, D Freeman, D Brown, D Elliott (A Howes 68), N Watson, K Dixon, O Wilson (K Tomlin 58), A O’Connor (N Hylton 30), N Davie. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, L Czerwak
Goals: Dean Freeman 42; Daniel Wilson 55, Callum Larmouth 88
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Dan Brown
Att: 161
