NPL First Division East

18 February 2023

Carlton Town were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Sheffield in a low-quality clash at the Coach & Horses stadium.

With Sheffield playing over an hour with 10 men and centre-half Reece Fielding in goal after keeper Jordan Pierrepont was sent off, this was definitely a missed opportunity for the Millers, who are now effectively seven points from safety with only 12 games remaining.

On the plus side, this was a second successive clean sheet away from home and indeed the side have gone more than three months since they last lost on their travels.  The fact they remain second from bottom is very much down to their dreadful home record, so it may be of some comfort that seven of the remaining games are away from home.

Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made two changes to the side which had lost against Bridlington last time out.  Brad Wells and Kyle Tomlin started with Lawrence Gorman on the bench and Jared Holmes suspended.

Carlton, backed by a superb away following, began well and Stephen Brogan did very well to deny Aaron O’Connor after a dangerous Niall Davie cross.  At the other end Basile Zattos fired just wide of Louis Turner’s post.

On 19 minutes Carlton should have taken the lead when Davie shot at goal from close range after a fine run and cross by Wells, but Fielding was able to divert the ball over the bar with his knee.

Shortly afterwards came the key moment of the game.  Tomlin sent O’Connor clear with a long ball.  Pierrepont raced out of his goal to clear but the ball took an unexpectedly high bounce and was heading over the goalkeeper’s head until he palmed the ball away to safety some 5 yards or so outside his area.   It was a clear red card offence and with no substitute goalkeeper on the bench it was fielding who took over between the posts.

That should have been the signal for the Millers to take every chance to pepper the goalkeeper with shots on target but it didn’t work out that way, certainly not in the first half.  Instead, Alex Howes, having a fine game, put one cross behind the onrushing Davie while a Niall Hylton cross went just beyond the far post.

Hylton was also causing Club problems and another cross from him saw substitute Corey Glaves send O’Connor tumbling in the area but the referee waved away the Carlton penalty claims.

Zottos was having a decent game for Sheffield but Khyle Sargent, selected at right back to deal with his threat, blocked one effort of his and generally kept him quiet.

However, despite having 10 men it was Sheffield who came closest to scoring in the first half when a 25-yard thunderbolt from Luke Aldrich crashed against the crossbar with Turner beaten.

Sargent then pushed forward and fed Wells who turned neatly before laying the ball off to Davie.  His shot was well saved by Fielding.

A nice move down the left involving Hylton, Tomlin and Howes saw the latter hit a shot over the bar as the half came to an end.

Within minutes of the start of the second half it was clear that Sheffield were going to sit deep, hold their shape, settle for the point and limit their ambition to the odd breakaway.  This was perfectly understandable given the sending off and the respective league positions and the task for the Millers was to find a way through.

Hylton sent Howes away on the left.  He hit a peach of a cross which was headed clear by Stephen Brogan off the head of Davie.

Nat Watson then won the ball in midfield and sent davie away but his shot drew a comfortable stop from Fielding.

Davie decided to go for it himself and beat three players in a mazy run down the right before hitting a fierce drive that Fielding saved superbly with his outstretched leg.

It was all Carlton now and the Millers forced a series of corners which eventually led to a Howes half-volley that was heading for the corner of the net until an excellent diving save by Fielding denied him.

The Millers had all of the possession and on the odd occasion Sheffield got into the Carlton half, Dan Brown and Dean Freeman dealt comfortably with the threat.  But Carlton’s passing and movement was slower than it needed to be, with the result that Sheffield rarely got pulled out of shape.

The Millers always seemed to want an extra touch, which is perhaps a result of the position they find themselves in.  O’Connor was sent into the area on the left side with a sight of goal, but he cut back onto his right foot and the chance was gone.

Fielding then held another Howes effort at the second attempt with no Carlton player able to snap up the loose ball.

Within a minute of coming on substitute Lewis Durow darted down the left and hit a cross which Wells headed just wide.

Still Carlton pushed forward, still Sheffield kept them at bay as the game entered injury time.  With the supporters roaring on the team from behind the goal Durow played the ball to Howes who headed to Davie who hit a shot agonisingly wide of the post.

Wells then got into the area but Joshua Burns cleared and the final half chance fell to Howes but his chip into the area went out for a goal kick before the referee ended the game.

Once again there was no lack of effort from the Millers and the supporters travelled in numbers to back the team.  But they will know that wins are needed – and soon.

Carlton Town: L Turner, K Sargent, N Hylton (L Durow 75),  D Brown,  D Freeman, K Tomlin, N Watson, N Davie, B Wells, A O’Connor (T Blake 59), A Howes. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, K Dixon, L Gorman

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Alex Howes

Att: 365