NPL First Division East – December 5
A 30-yard stunner from Niall Hylton was enough to give Carlton Town a 1-0 victory over Cleethorpes Town at Stoke Lane.
In a fiercely fought contest the Owls twice hit the woodwork but the Millers had three strong penalty claims turned down and will feel they did enough in the second half to merit a first ever home victory against Clee. On the negative side however Lewis Durow became the latest Carlton player to be sent off – the third in the last four matches – and he faces a one match ban with the squad already very stretched.
Carlton went into the game with the welcome news that loan signing Peter Dearle had made permanent his move from Basford Utd. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that the game was on after the snow and rain of the previous two days. That the pitch was not only playable but held up remarkably well was a testament to the work of groundsman Swifty.
The Millers made one change to the side which lost at Consett last time out, with Greg Tempest returning in place of the suspended Lamin Manneh. With Alex Hardwick also suspended, that meant a centre-forward role for Alex Howes, with Niall Davie in support.
Carlton began well enough and in just the fourth minute a clever lob from Dearle only just cleared the Owls crossbar, before visiting goalkeeper James McKeown made a fine save from Hylton after a flowing move involving Tempest and David Adegbola.
But as the half progressed, Cleethorpes started to take control with captain Alex Flett and wide man Curtis Bateson particularly prominent. Felix Annan made an excellent save from Bateson as he hit a first time shot from the left hand edge of the penalty area after a flowing move down the right.
Flett then forced his way into the box before hitting a shot that looped up off Dean Freeman, hit Annan’s right hand post and dropped back into the arms of the grateful goalkeeper.
Just after the half hour came the first of Carlton’s penalty claims when Dearle was dragged to the floor by Jordan Cooke trying to get on the end of a Tempest corner but the referee wasn’t interested.
Cleethorpes kept pushing forward, particularly down the left and the full back pairing of Khyle Sargent and Durow were kept very busy. But they were effective in nullifying the threat and when the ball did get into the middle, Dearle and Freeman were having excellent games.
Howes headed just wide from a Durow cross shortly before half time but it was in the second period that Carlton upped their game. That was only after Cleethorpes came desperately close to opening the scoring when a run and shot from Brody Robertson beat everyone, hit the post and rebounded just out of reach of William Annan.
The Millers opened the scoring just a minute later with a fabulous goal. Sargent played the ball forward down the right and there seemed little on when Howes flicked the ball to Hylton a long way from goal. But he took a couple of touches and then launched a thunderbolt that sailed high over McKeown and into the corner of the net.
Carlton continued to attack and Davie drew a fine save from McKeown with a drive from a tight angle before Carlton saw their second strong penalty appeal turned down when the impressive Tempest latched onto a weak backpass by Leon Dawson, prodded the ball past McKeown and was then brought down by the keeper. With Carlton claiming a penalty and Cleethorpes claiming a dive, the referee adjudged the fall to be a slip and simply played on.
Cleethorpes kept looking for a way into the game and one effort was lifted over the bar from a good position but in general terms it was Carlton who looked more like scoring. Michael Ford was having a solid game in the middle alongside Tempest and Davie with Adegbola and Hylton looking to get forward to assist Howes. On 82 minutes came Carlton’s third penalty shout and this seemed to be the clearest of the lot.
Substitute Musa Jawarra had done well to set up Howes in the area. His shot was excellently saved by McKeown. The ball was knocked back into the area by fellow substitute Zac Hill before eventually being half cleared to the right side of the penalty area. Hylton beat Louis Boyd to the loose ball and was brought down for what looked a stonewall penalty, but neither the referee nor his assistant, standing a few yards away with an excellent view, were interested.
It was plainly all too much for Durow and shortly after this he received a second yellow card for dissent and was sent off. Carlton had to play the final five minutes of normal time plus six added minutes with 10 men, but they kept their shape and although there were a couple of nervous moments the Millers held on to record a welcome win.
Carlton Town: F Annan, K Sargent, L Durow, D Freeman, P Dearle, G Tempest (Z Hill), D Adegbola (M Jawarra 72), M Ford, A Howes, N Davie, N Hylton. Unused subs: L Sisawo-Danso, O Seeby, O Gee
Goals: N Hylton 54
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Niall Hylton
Att: 126
