NPL First Division East – 27 January 2024
The Millers had not won at Bracken Moor in nine previous attempts and had lost on their last seven visits to Steels, but they came into the match with a 100% record in 2024 and knowing a win could move them up to second in the table. Stocksbridge made the playoffs last term but are scrapping for points at the wrong end of the table this time around which only goes to illustrate the competitiveness of this division.
Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks made two changes to the side which beat Winterton last time out with Greg Tempest and Niall Davie replacing Lewis Durow (suspended) and Michael Ford.
With the usual Bracken Moor wind making its presence felt the first half was pretty a much a non-event. Both teams were fully committed but neither side was able to get the ball down and play. Steels looked the more likely to score with Nykah Liburd-Hines impressing in the Carlton goal, saving an early effort from Luke Rawson and coming off his line on a number of occasions to snuff out dangerous situations.
Dean Freeman went closest for the Millers but he couldn’t get on the end of a Tempest free kick.
Stocksbridge had two good chances to score at the start of the second half but Charlie Reaney headed wide from a good position and Alex Howes then headed off the line from a Steels corner.
Carlton brought on new signing Micah Jebbison and he had an instant impact, running at the Stocksbridge defence and looking lively. Although Steels had the majority of the play it was Carlton who went closest to scoring when Jebbison drew a superb save from Harry Garman in the home goal.
Dan Brown had to cut out a dangerous cross from the right and from the resultant corner some head tennis ended up with Liburd-Hines making another fine save from Rawson.
Ryan Ebanks impressed at full back and on the other side Niall Hylton was able to push forward when Peter Dearle replaced Niall Davie and slotted into defence. Khyle Sargent and Tempest tried to create something for the Millers but a combination of Steels pressure and the wind made it almost impossible.
With time running out Sargent sent Hylton away on the left but his cross was just beyond Alex Hardwick.
Jebbison was booked with five minutes remaining following a 50/50 challenge outside the area with the goalkeeper Garman. The decision looked really harsh and that harshness was compounded when the new man received a second yellow in the last minute of added time for another fairly innocuous challenge on the half way line and was sent off.
The ten men saw out the final moments of the match and the entire squad then came across to thank the 25 or so travelling supporters who had cheered on the team all afternoon.
Carlton Town: N Liburd-Hines, R Ebanks, N Hylton, D Brown, D Freeman, G Tempest, D Adegbola (M Jebbison 55), K Sargent, A Hardwick, A Howes (L Gorman 75), N Davie (P Dearle 62). Unused Subs: M Ford, S Thompson-Harris
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Nykah Liburd-Hines
Att: 210
