NPL First Division East – 15 August 2023
Goals from Romello Nangle and Alex Howes maintained Carlton Town’s perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win against Sheffield at Stoke Lane.
In a hard fought encounter which contained some controversial refereeing decisions, the Millers also saw another penalty saved and had to resist fierce Sheffield pressure at times. But overall they were good value for the win which saw them move to fourth in the early-season table with six points from two games.
Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks made one change from the side which won at Pontefract last time out with Khyle Sargent returning for the absent Greg Tempest. Amongst the superb crowd of 229 was Nottingham Forest Ladies captain Lyndsey Harkin, the club’s guest speaker on the night, and former Millers legends Josh Thornton, Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Martin Ball.
Sheffield had the first opportunity when Luke Mangham sent over a dangerous cross but there was no one on the end of it. Carlton then failed to clear a corner and Benni Ndlovu saw his effort cleared off the line by Lamin Manneh.
Manneh had Carlton’s first effort on goal but Jordan Pierrepoint saved comfortably. At the other end Felix Annan was called upon to save a well-struck free kick from Rory Coleman.
Both sides were cancelling each other out in midfield, but Carlton were starting the gain the ascendancy when they were awarded a penalty on 41 minutes. A Lewis Durow throw-in to David Adegbola saw the full back’s cross strike the arm of Sam Greenhouse. The decision seemed a little harsh and Pierrepoint will have thought justice was done when he dived low to his right to keep out Sargent’s spot kick.
Moments later Manneh fed Niall Hylton and his drive flew just wide.
Club had the final chance of the half when Annan couldn’t keep hold of the ball and Ndlovu’s cross-shot went just beyond the far post.
Carlton pushed forward early in the second half without getting behind the Sheffield defence while Dan Brown had to be alert to see off a couple of dangerous counter attacks. Sargent and Michael Ford were busily effective breaking up Sheffield possession and it was Carlton who looked the more dangerous.
The game’s most controversial moment came on the hour. Adegbola sped down the right, darted past Luke Aldrich who grabbed hold of his shirt outside the area. He kept hold of it as Adegbola ran into the box before going down. The referee, who was in a good position, awarded another penalty to Carlton to the fury of the Sheffield players, who claimed what foul there was had been committed outside the area. The referee spent some time conferring with his linesman before confirming the penalty, which Nangle duly fired into the corner of the net.
The Millers were now on the front foot and when Pierrepoint failed to clear a corner, a Nangle shot was cleared off the line by Coleman. Howes then burst forward and saw a shot blocked with Nangle slipping as he was about to latch onto the rebound.
Dean Freeman then flicked on a Durow throw-in which was begging to be tapped in only for no-one to be at the far post.
The second goal that Carlton were threatening arrived on 78 minutes and it was a beauty with Howes volleying home a Niall Davie corner from the edge of the box.
Sheffield to their credit refused to give up and Annan did well to save from Greenhouse before Connor Cutts volleyed high over the bar from a good position.
Dan Brown then blocked twice as Club pushed forward and with the game in the third minute of six added minutes Club were awarded a penalty of their own when Annan was adjudged to have fouled Mangham. Mangham himself converted the penalty but held on for the final few minutes to secure the win and send the majority of the crown home very happy indeed.
Carlton Town: F Annan, D Adegbola (S Thompson-Harris 76), L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, M Ford, L Manneh, K Sargent, R Nangle (M Jawarra 74), A Howes, N Hylton (N Davie 76). Unused subs: N Liburd-Hines, L Gorman
Goals: R Nangle 64 (pen), A Howes 78; Luke Mangham 90 (pen)
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Alex Howes
Att: 229
