NPL First Division East
10 April 2023
A second half blitz saw Carlton Town lose 4-0 at NPL East champions Worksop Town.
The Millers held the Tigers in a goalless first half but an unfortunate Dan Brown own goal just three minutes after the restart breached the barricades and from then on it was only a question of how many the Tigers would score. As it is, Carlton remain deep in relegation trouble but safety remains in their own hands with three games of the season to play.
Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made three changes to the side which had beaten Consett last time out. In came Lawrence Gorman, Lewis Durow and Kyle Tomlin for Alex Howes and Danny Elliott (both injured) and Aaron O’Connor.
Worksop featured ex-Miller Terry Hawkridge in their starting line-up.
The Tigers came into the game on the back of a league record 33 game unbeaten run and they attacked from the start with Vaughan Redford firing just wide on seven minutes. Carlton responded and Niall Davie advanced down the left before crossing just in front of Alex Troke.
Worksop buzzed about all over the pitch but Carlton kept their shape well, with Jared Holmes and Khyle Sargent impressive in midfield and Dean Freeman and Brown dealing superbly with the threat down the middle. Indeed, Worksop’s next real chance came on the half hour when a fierce 20-yard effort from Hawkridge was tipped over the bar wonderfully by Mikey Emery in the Carlton goal.
Davie took advantage of a slip by Josh Wilde to fashion a chance for Tomlin but his effort was wide of target.
The Millers were forced into a change at half time when Troke went off suffering from illness and he was replaced by O’Connor. All Carlton’s hard work in the first half went out of the window three minutes into the second period in the most unfortunate of circumstances as Dan Brown’s attempted clearance of a cross from the right sliced behind him and past Emery into the goal.
Five minutes later Luke Hall doubled the home side’s lead, converting at the back post after a cross from the right.
With the rain coming down ever heavier it was now a question of damage limitation but Carlton’s task was made harder on 72 minutes when O’Connor went off injured. With three substitutions having already been made that reduced the Millers to 10 men for the final period of the game.
Emery made another superb save from Hall before Aleks Starcenko made it 3-0 on 80 minutes, controlling the ball in the area and slotting home after some good switching of play by the Tigers.
With two minutes remaining Liam Hughes headed home a cross from the right to complete the scoring. The same player had a golden chance to score again in added time when Worksop were awarded a penalty for a trip by Durow, but he fired his spot kick against the bar.
There was no disgrace in the defeat – Worksop have been head and shoulders above everyone else in the division this year – and Carlton will know the remaining three games of the campaign are amongst the most important in the club’s history. The players were deservedly applauded off by the healthy travelling support notwithstanding the final score.
Carlton Town: M Emery, L Gorman, L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, J Holmes (C Marzano 62), N Hylton, K Sargent (K Dixon 62), A Troke (A O’Connor 46), N Davie, K Tomlin. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, O Wilson
Goals: D Brown 48 (og), Luke Hall 53, Aleks Starcenko 80, Liam Hughes 88
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Mikey Emery
Att: 877
