NPL First Division East – 6 April 2024
Carlton Town played out a gutsy win against a spirited Ashington side at Stoke Lane. Second half goals from Niall Davie and Alex Hardwick saw the Millers win for the third game on the spin and keep hopes of the play offs alive.
In front of a bumper home crowd of 331, swelled by numbers from the visiting Bitcoin Fest, Carlton made two changes to the side that beat Grantham on Easter Monday. Greg Tempest came in for Mamadoh Sylla-Diallo who dropped to the bench alongside Niall Hylton who was replaced by Alex Howes. As the Carlton management continued to manage the demands on the players, Nat Watson was pushed up front with Howes playing in behind. Manneh and Davie provided the wide support.
Ashington swept aside Bridlington last time out and arrived safe in the league and looking upwards.
The biggest player in this game in reality was the wind. Howling from behind the Shed End at a slight angle it was a continual thorn in the side for all concerned. Carlton kicked against the gales in the first half and Watson was well marshalled by the Ashington centre backs as long balls held up in the winds, with the home side struggling to gain a foothold.
Ashington had the first sight of goal as Charlie Exley and joint top scorer, Wilson Kneeshaw linked up well down the left but the shot hit the side netting.
Carlton were forced into an early change as Dean Freeman had to make way with injury. Without a recognised defender on the bench, Sylla-Diallo came in to midfield with Khyle Sargent, the Swiss Army Miller, dropping into the centre back position alongside Dan Brown.
It was Sargent who started Carlton’s first decent move of the game, finding Watson who laid off to Howes. His racking left foot pass had Manneh running down the right beating Exley twice and shooting just off target at the near post.
As the game continued in the Carlton defensive third a momentary pitch invasion by Carlton Town regular, Gaz Bee chasing after a flyaway, football card £10 note lightened the mood. The Carlton supporters were in competition from a noisy group of Ashington supporters, complete with drum, who had set up camp in the Shed End. The drummer boys did have plenty to shout about as well. The visitors had the better of the half generally and Kneeshaw especially was a real threat running in behind.
It was Carlton who were initially celebrating first as Lewis Durow aimed a throw smartly at the feet of Watson on the edge of the six yard area. The frontman turned his marker and supplied a dink cross to the far post and Manneh nodded in only for the lineman’s flag to halt the supporters’ cheers.
Ashington were forced into an early change of their own as striker Daniel Maguire had to come off for Paul Van-Zandvliet, the former North Shields man a goal scorer at this ground last season. Kneeshaw finally got away from the Carlton defence but Felix Annan, as he has so often this season, stood up and made a good save. From the resulting corner the Millers’ stopper was under pressure from the attackers and the elements but he punched clear of immediate danger. Van-Zandvliet’s header was directed over from the secondary attack.
Kneeshaw’s pace was a real concern and from an Ashington clearance by Karl Dryden in the visitors goal the wind ballooned the ball over the Carlton back line, Kneeshaw was away but was intercepted by a stunning Sargent recovery tackle. Moments later and a carbon copy attack had the same outcome. Sargent with another outstanding, perfectly timed challenge to snuff out the danger. Within the next ten minutes Sargent saved Carlton twice more. The makeshift centre back reading the play well and timing his tackles with clinical precision.
Manneh was the outlet for Carlton but all too frequently the pass was over or under hit as the wind toyed with the ball in the air. When he finally did break away, following excellent work from Sylla-Diallo the wingman beat his defender once more but this time elected to try and find Watson in the box. Admirable as that was, maybe shooting was a better option as Watson was outmanned and the clearance was made.
Tempest then won the ball high up the field and his reverse pass found Davie on the edge of the box. Starved of space the Carlton skipper managed a shot on target but it lacked power and was comfortable for Dryden.
In the final moments of the first half, and with Carlton growing into the game, Howes was caught by a late challenge in a central position. Manneh, Watson and Tempest congregated around the ball and by committee decided it was Tempest to try his luck. Once more, he hit the target and although the keeper parried, Dryden was able to smother the ball before Davie could prod the ball home.
The second half was a different proposition altogether. Carlton took early gains with the wind now at their backs and successive Durow throws from the left then the right side caused chaos in the Ashington box with the latter effort falling at the feet of Howes at the back post. With time to control he failed to find the target from eight yards out. The die was cast however and following another swift attack, Manneh stood over a corner kick. The ball hooped into the box and right under the bar. Dryden, in traffic and under pressure flapped at the cross and Davie reacted quickest and smashed the ball in from a yard.
Carlton didn’t rest and extracted another corner following good pressure from Watson and Manneh on the creaking Ashington back line. Tempest boomed a wonderful, in swinging delivery with pace from the right and Durow arrived at the back post but fired his header over. The left back has been mightily close to getting on the scoresheet in recent weeks and this was another great chance to register.
Ashington, who continued to play out from the back which against the wind seemed like a smart choice began to come back into the game but in driving forward, space was appearing in behind. David Adegbola did well to intercept a pass and his clearance proved an excellent cross field ball to Watson who won another corner. Manneh delivered and he was incredibly unlucky to see his corner kick cannon off the bar as the keeper was once again beaten. That move was Watson’s last involvement as he made way for Hardwick.
Ashington made some changes of their own and came right back into the game with a sustained period of possession. Sargent was on hand again to intercept a Craig Spooner run from the right hand side and it was Spooner who had a great chance from a corner. Once again the wind affected the ball in mid air and Annan was caught under the flight. He recovered quickly however and Spooner’s shot was smothered by the stopper. Dan Brown led the back line well during this period.
The Millers, as a group, were organised, moved as a unit and were difficult to break down. This game of patience was rewarded as Adegbola once again timed an interception brilliantly and was on the break down the right. With Hardwick in support in the middle, the right back found the late run of Howes on the edge of the box. Howes chose to carry the ball instead of shooting and, under increasing pressure from Will Constantine and Karl Ross, went down but contact was minimal and the referee was unmoved.
Carlton made their final change as goal scorer Niall Davie made way for Hylton. Manneh was becoming an increasing influence on the game and a pain for the Ashington defence. In a glorious passage of play, he danced through four or five opposition players showing fantastic close control and throwing in a roulette for good measure. That created space for Sylla-Diallo on the edge of the box but the midfielder couldn’t get the ball from under his feet to get enough power on the shot and Dryden made the save.
Manneh broke the line again shortly after and was chopped down by Ben Williams who went into the referee’s book. The free kick was left of centre just outside the box and Manneh took the kick himself. He shot around the wall to the goalkeeper’s side. An awkward bounce meant Dryden could only parry into the path of Hylton but good pressure from James McGeorge prevented the Carlton winger from getting his shot away cleanly. He was though able to keep the attack alive and find a cross for Hardwick. The striker couldn’t direct the header on target and there was a nasty clash of heads with Constantine. The Ashington defender was down for several minutes and wasn’t able to continue. With no more substitutes available the visitors were forced to play out the remaining minutes with ten men.
Despite the numerical deficit, the Colliers had their two clearest chances in the next five minutes. From a Carlton attack, McGeorge, Kneeshaw and Spooner drove the Millers back and the home side lost possession in their own half. McGeorge with a shot forcing Annan into a vital save.
Moments later, on the break, Ashington looked certain to score as Connor Thomson was free in the box, inside right, his shot was saved and diverted just around the far post by an incredible Annan stop.
Ashington had Carlton pinned back at this point but Carlton are dangerous in this position and another well timed Adegbola interception allowed the defender to play Manneh into space behind the recovering defence. A desperate last-ditch tackle from Ross was mistimed and the referee pointed to the spot. Hardwick stepped up and confidently placed the ball to the keeper’s left to secure the points for Carlton.
Third placed Hebburn Town visit Stoke Lane on Tuesday in what will be a stern test for the Millers.
Carlton Town: F Annan, D Adegbola, L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman (M Sylla-Diallo 13), G Tempest, L Manneh, K Sargent, N Watson (A Hardwick 59), A Howes, N Davie (N Hylton 72). Unused Subs: M Jebbison, M Ford
Goals: N Davie 53, A Hardwick 90+6 (pen)
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Khyle Sargent
Att: 331
