NPL First Division East
11 February 2023
Carlton Town FC suffered a second 4-2 home defeat in four days, this time at the hands of Bridlington Town.
In a Groundhog Day display, Carlton once again started well, once again conceded a dreadful goal to go in a goal down at the break, once again conceded twice more early in the second half and once again got themselves back into the game only to gift a fourth goal and the match to the opposition. Too add to the misery, influential midfielder Jared Holmes got himself needlessly send off after half an hour and will now miss the next three games due to suspension.
The defeat sees the Millers drop back into the bottom two which is no great surprise seeing that they have conceded two or more goals in 15 of their 25 league fixtures. If they continue to do so in the remaining 13 games of the season it’s difficult to see how they can survive.
Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made two changes to the side which had lost by the same scoreline against Brighouse. Loan signing Louis Turner replaced Richard Stainsby in goal while Nat Watson returned from a four game ban in place of Kyle Tomlin.
Carlton started the game on the front foot and had the Seasiders pinned back in their own half in the early stages. Aaron O’Connor put one cross just behind the goal before Watson and Niall Davie combined to send O’Connor into space, only for the striker to be denied by a superb tackle from James Williamson.
Watson was running the midfield at this stage and he again fed O’Connor who shot over from distance.
On 18 minutes the Millers went behind yet again from another farcical goal. Turner, who had impressed against the Millers last month when playing for Long Eaton and Mansfield Town, tried to play a short goal kick but the ball was intercepted by Ali Aydemir. He sped down the left before crossing into the area. The normally imperious Dan Brown missed his clearance and Lewis Dennison gratefully slotted home.
Matters went from bad to worse on 34 minutes when Holmes was sent off for kneeing Jake Martindale in the back as both tussled on the floor after the Carlton man had been awarded a free kick.
The ten men continued to work hard and Watson again set up O’Connor who darted into the area and crossed to Davie who just couldn’t get his shot away.
The Millers brought on Brad Wells at half time and he was involved in the opening minutes of the second half when he cut in from the right, saw a shot blocked and a second effort deflected behind by Jack Bulless.
The Seasiders extended their lead on 51 minutes when a long goal kick was headed onto Nick Hutton who hit an unstoppable 25-yard half volley into the top corner.
On the hour the visitors went three goals up. Aydemir had gone through on goal only to be denied by a superb Brown tackle. From the resulting corner Turner tipped a Williamson header onto the bar. Bridlington then hit the post before Williamson headed home at the third attempt.
Wells gave Carlton a glimmer of hope on 67 minutes when he knocked on a Turner goal kick before lifting a delicious lob over James Hitchcock in the Bridlington goal. But that hope was extinguished just four minutes later when substitute Mackenzie Warne dispossessed Brown on the edge of the Millers penalty area and fired past a helpless Turner.
Still Carlton pushed forward and four minutes after coming on Tyler Blake reduced the arrears when he fired in from the edge of the box with the help of a slight deflection.
Wells had the ball in the net again late on but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper. And Khyle Sargent, who had worked ceaselessly throughout, headed a Blake cross ti O’Connor who hit the post in added time.
There was no lack of effort from the Millers and at the final whistle the supporters were grateful to those players who came across to thank them for their efforts. But they will know that they can’t keep letting in goals at the rate they have done this season and expect to stay in this division.
Carlton Town: L Turner, L Gorman (K Tomlin 59), N Hylton, D Brown, D Freeman, J Holmes, N Watson, K Sargent, A Howes (T Blake 74), A O’Connor, N Davie (B Wells 46). Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, K Dixon
Goals: B Wells 67, T Blake 78; Lewis Dennison 18, Nick Hutton 51, James Williamson 61, Mackenzie Warne 71
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Nat Watson
Att: 138
