FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying – October 7, 2023
A Matthew Stenson strike in the last minute saw Carlton Town eliminated from the FA Trophy following a 1-0 defeat at Nuneaton Borough.
Stenson’s strike on the turn from the edge of the box flew into the top corner and was out of keeping in what was a low key encounter between sides meeting for the second time this season in FA competitions.
Carlton had of course won at Liberty Way in the FA Cup last month but there was to be no repeat of the upset in the FA Trophy. And whilst the Millers will be disappointed not to have taken the game to a penalty shoot out, their cup successes this season have already left them with a backlog of games in the league as they have slipped from 3rd to 11th in the table due to only playing one league game since August. So they now have the opportunity to very much “concentrate on the league”.
The Millers made three changes to the side which lost at Hebburn last time out. Shea Thompson-Harris started ahead of David Adegbola, Khyle Sargent returned in place of the injured Greg Tempest and Romello Nangle started up front with Michael Ford dropping to the bench.
On a very warm afternoon there was an early injury to Nuneaton’s Kyle Storer which saw the player treated for 10 minutes on the pitch before being deemed fit to carry on. What few chances there were in a tepid first period generally fell to the home side. Felix Annan made an excellent save from Owen Oseni on 24 minutes after he was set up by Leroy Lita.
Carlton responded and Nangle fired just wide twice in quick succession, the second after Sargent had won the ball well in midfield.
Oseni hit another effort high over the bar while Boro goalkeeper Daniel Jezeph did well to hold onto a goalbound Alex Hardwick cross.
A quick break down the left saw Lita draw a wonderful save from Annan, diving to his right to deny the striker. Carlton also had a couple of opportunities late on in the half but Niall Davie put a couple of free kicks over the bar as did Lamin Manneh after some neat passing with Davie and Alex Howes.
Lewis Durow had Carlton’s first effort of the second half but he fired over the top from fully 30 yards before Nuneaton went closest to scoring midway through the half when Storer’s angled drive from the right hit the crossbar.
Substitute Niall Hylton caused some problems for Boro down the right which earned the Millers a corner. Howes flicked Davie’s cross just over.
Dan Brown, along with Dean Freeman having their usual fine games at the back for Carlton, the won the ball and played it to Sargent. His pass set Howes away down the middle. He beat Victor Nirennold before hitting a screamer from 25 yards that beat Jezeph but crashed against the angle of post and bar. The ball came back to Sargent who crossed for Hardwick to head home but Carlton’s delight at the goal was cut short by an offside flag.
Kane Richards and Alexander Lafleur both hit efforts over the top for Nuneaton, whilst Brown was called upon to break up another home attack.
With time running out Annan made another superb save, this time from Stenson, while Liam Bateman, on as a substitute making his debut for Carlton, also hit a free kick over the bar.
Just as it looked as if the game was heading for penalties Stenson popped up with the winner. Carlton lost the ball in midfield, Lafleur fed Stenson, he cut in from the left and hit his shot on the turn that Annan could do nothing about.
The Millers had six minutes of added time to try to get level but were unable to test Jezeph and bowed out of the Trophy. There was a little bit of handbags on the final whistle and following that the players came across to thank the small travelling band of supporters for their efforts.
Carlton Town: F Annan, S Thompson-Harris (L Bateman 61), L Durow (D Adegbola 90), D Brown, D Freeman, N Davie, L Manneh (N Hylton 61), K Sargent, A Hardwick, A Howes, R Nangle. Unused subs: M Ford, Z Hill
Goals: Matthew Stenson 90
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Felix Annan
Att: 239
