NPL First Division East – 23 August 2023
A Dean Freeman strike five minutes from time saw Carlton Town take maximum points for the third time in three games as they won 2-1 at Winterton Rangers.
In a hard-fought encounter when both sides had spells on top, it looked as if the points were going to be shared after Luke Anderson’s goal for the home side had cancelled out David Adegbola’s opener for the Millers. But after Carlton missed yet another penalty, Freeman was the hero, heading home a Lewis Durow throw in to move the Millers up to third place in the table with nine points from three games.
Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made two changes to the side which had beaten Maltby Main last time out in the FA Cup. Romello Nangle and Lamin Manneh dropped out due to injury, albeit Manneh stared on the bench. Into the side came Shea Thompson-Harris and Musa Ndaw Jawarra. Adegbola moved into midfield with Thompson-Harris at right back.
Niall Hylton had the first chance of the game, firing just over, but Winterton belied their pointless start to the season by taking the game to Carlton in the opening 25 minutes. The first chance came on eight minutes when only a superb block by Dan Brown prevented Adam Baskerville opening the scoring.
Minutes later Brown was at it again, clearing off the line as Carlton failed to keep hold of any real possession and Winterton tore at them.
Khyle Sargent (foul) and Lewis Durow (dissent) received early yellow cards which seemed unnecessary with the end result that eight players were booked across both teams in a game that had barely a bad tackle.
Carlton took the lead on 27 minutes against the run of play. Durow fed Alex Howes who ran down the left and played a superb driven cross to the far post where Adegbola was on hand to score his first goal for the club.
The goal seemed to spark the Millers into life and minutes later Howes played a wonderful pass from the half way line which sent Hylton away down the left. The wide man still had plenty to do but he held off Sam Aynsley and fired at goal. Nathan Popple in the Winterton goal got the slightest of touches which diverted the ball onto the post and when Hylton tried to convert the rebound a combination of Popple and Clay Bryant kept the ball out of goal.
Rangers suffered a blow when the influential Josh Walker had to be substituted but they still sent over a couple of dangerous crosses which Carlton had to defend. At the other end Thompson-Harris and Durow were looking to get forward, with the latter playing a delightful ball to Hylton to create an opportunity that came to nothing.
Winterton came out for the second half fired up and pinned Carlton back in their own half in the opening minutes. Paul Grimes put a header just wide while Dan Brown headed off the line following a goalmouth scramble.
Carlton still had a threat though and Hylton once again outpaced the home defence before firing inches wide of goal with Popple beaten.
Greg Tempest saw a shot deflected over the bar after good work from substitute Michael Ford, Adegbola and Howes but Winterton’s second half pressure paid off when they equalised on 68 minutes. Steve Ridley’s free kick on the right edge of the penalty area struck the wall and looped up into the air. Felix Annan made a superb save from a close range header from Luke Anderson but couldn’t hold onto the ball and Anderson rifled home.
Five minutes later Carlton had a glorious chance to regain the advantage when goalkeeper Popple hacked substitute Manneh to the ground with a late tackle in the penalty area as the striker burst clear. Fellow substitute Lawrence Gorman had only just come on but Popple redeemed himself, saving Gorman’s penalty and watching with relief as Gorman fired the rebound over the bar.
Brown was on hand to intercept another Winterton attack but it was Carlton who were back on top in the final 15 minutes and with five minutes remaining they scored what turned out to be the winner. A Durow throw from the right was met by a glancing header from Freeman who directed the ball into the corner of the net, just beyond the grasp of Popple, to send the superb away following behind the goal into raptures.
Winterton didn’t give up and a minute later a wonderful Baskerville scissor kick from outside the area had Annan beaten but crashed against the crossbar and was cleared by the Millers. Carlton saw out the six minutes of added time in relative comfort to secure the win, with the entire squad coming over at the end to thank the 30 or so midweek travelling fans for their support.
Carlton Town: F Annan, Shea Thompson-Harris (L Manneh 62), L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, G Tempest, D Adegbola, K Sargent (M Ford 54), M Jawarra (L Gorman 71), A Howes, N Hylton. Unused subs: N Liburd-Hines, Z Hill
Goals: D Adegbola 27, D Freeman 85; Luke Anderson 68
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Dan Brown
Att: 190
