A brace from Nat Watson and Dean Freeman goal saw Carlton Town through a tricky FA Cup tie at AFC Mansfield with a 3-1 Preliminary Round win.
The Bulls had levelled through ex-Miller Kaylum Mitchell midway through the first half after Watson’s first goal and in difficult conditions were always a challenge. But Carlton had much the better of the second half albeit they could only truly relax when Freeman headed home a minute before the end.
Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks made one change to the side which drew with Sheffield last time out. Jack Newall was not permitted to play in the FA Cup by his parent club Burton Albion. That meant a first start of the season for Khyle Sargent with Watson playing up front ahead of a five man midfield.
In front of a fairly sparse crowd (both Forest and Mansfield Town had home games which undoubtedly affected the attendance) Carlton began well enough and took the lead on 16 minutes. Lamin Manneh took a quick free kick and passed to Niall Hylton. He sped forward and hit a fierce drive that struck the post. Before the Bulls could react Watson pounced on the rebound and hit a sweet first-time shot into the roof of the net.
It took Mansfield just four minutes to equalise. A fine pass from Jack Gibb sent Mitchell forward on the left. He still had plenty of work to do but he held off the Carlton defence and his a lovely shot across Felix Annan and into the corner of the net.
The pitch was inconsistent and there was a swirling wind. Both of these factors led to the remainder of the first half being a fairly scrappy affair, with neither side able to show much evidence of their impressive starts to the season. Carlton though did create an opening a minute before the break when Lewis Durow headed wide from a good position from a Manneh corner.
AFC almost took the lead with the last kick of the half when an audacious 60 yard strike by Liam Mays saw Annan scrambling to get back on his line. The keeper managed to palm the ball away from goal but at the same time collided with the goal itself which moved off the goal line.
Carlton stepped it up in the second half and Watson claimed a penalty early on after he went down under challenge from Will Heather but the referee wasn’t interested. Alex Howes then hit a strike at the back post which drew a fine save from Josh Turton in the Bulls goal. Watson then put a free kick just wide after Howes was fouled and saw Turton make another fine save from his header after an excellent Durow cross but the pressure was building.
Mansfield though always offered a threat and Annan did well to cut out a dangerous cross from Mitchell after a quick counter attack.
Carlton regained the lead on 60 minutes with a second Watson goal. Hylton was fouled on the right touchline. Michael Ford, having another fine outing at full back, sent the free kick into the area. Niall Davie flicked on and Watson rifled another fierce drive into the roof of the net to the delight of the small pocket of travelling supporters.
A lovely move down the left, began by Annan and featuring Durow and Watson interplay saw Durow cross to Hylton whose shot was blocked.
Carlton’s control of the game at this stage was due in no small measure to Dan Brown and Freeman dealing with everything the home side could throw at them down the middle. Both were involved in a number of physical tussles and neither lost any. But a one goal lead is always precarious and the Millers sought the safety net of another goal to make the win safe.
Freeman almost got that on 86 minutes when he headed narrowly wide from a Durow throw in. The AFC danger was illustrated a minute later when an attack down the left saw Mitchell played into a shooting position, but the pitch seemed to cause the ball to move away from his foot and his effort was sliced well wide.
Substitutes Zac Hill and Jonny Gilbert might both have had a shot on goal moments later but in the end it was Freeman who secured the win in the 89th minute. A corner from the right from Hylton was well controlled on the far left touchline by Lord Marfo. He earned Carlton a throw in, which was taken by Durow and headed past Turton by Freeman.
Carlton saw out the four minutes of added time and came across to applaud their travelling support at the end, with dream of Wembley still intact.
Carlton Town: F Annan, M Ford (S Thompson-Harris 90), L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, A Howes (J Gilbert 79), L Manneh (L Marfo 82), N Watson, N Davie (Z Hill 84), K Sargent, N Hylton. Unused subs: Neo Saunders, Luis Richardson
Goals: Nat Watson 16, 60, Dean Freeman 89; Kaylum Mitchell 20
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Nat Watson
Att: 81
