NPL First Division East – 27 April 2024
A much-changed Carlton Town ended the regular season with a defeat at relegation-threatened Brighouse Town.
The Millers, with at least one eye firmly focussed on the forthcoming playoff semi-final, made four changes to the side which had lost against Dunston last time out. Into the side came Lawrence Gorman, Peter Dearle, Mamadoh Sylla-Diallo and Micah Jebbison. They replaced Dan Brown, Dean Freeman, Alex Howes and Alex Hardwick.
Carlton knew that they would finish fifth in the table whatever the outcome of this game. Brighouse on the other hand knew that even a win might not be enough to get them out of the bottom two, but that three points was likely to be enough to obtain a reprieve from relegation in the event that they finished 19th in the table given the vacancies at step 4 created by the mid-season withdrawals of Nuneaton Borough and Marske Utd from step 3.
Backed by a tremendous away following Carlton had the first chance of the game when Jebbison twisted and turned his way down the left before crossing to Niall Davie, but the captain’s header lacked purchase and Jamie Hassall in the Brighouse goal saved easily.
The home side opened the scoring on 14 minutes. Mo Qasim won the ball in midfield after a loose Carlton pass. He then advanced to the right hand edge of the box before firing low across Felix Annan and into the corner of the net.
Khyle Sargent headed just wide from a Gorman corner as Carlton briefly threatened but at the other end Jack Wilson fired a half volley just over the top after a neat one-two with Qasim. There was then an injury scare for the Millers when Sargent had to be replaced by Lamin Sisawo-Danso before the break.
With the game in first half added time Brighouse doubled their lead when Wilson found himself in all sorts of space on the left corner of the penalty area and he too fired across Annan and into the corner of the net.
Carlton brought on Howes and Jevin Seaton during the second half and Jebbison fired just wide after Gorman had crossed to him.
David Adegbola was causing some problems for the home side but it was Brighouse who had the ball in the net for a third time with a Wilson header, only to be denied by an offside flag.
Carlton pushed forward in the closing stages and Niall Hylton headed against the crossbar from a Lewis Durow cross before Josh Dacre made a superb goal line clearance to deny Seaton a certain goal from the rebound.
Carlton then really should have scored a minute later when Jebbison took advantage of a miscued clearance to run down the right and cross to an unmarked Seaton six yards from goal, but he lifted his shot over the bar.
That was more or less it and on the final whistle, after a fracas which saw Jack Normanton and Sisawo-Danso sent off, the entire squad came across to thank the fans for their efforts this season. Of course, the season isn’t over as Carlton prepare for the playoffs for the first time in 12 years when they travel to Stockton Town on Tuesday night.
Carlton Town: F Annan, L Gorman, L Durow, K Sargent (L Sisawo-Danso 38), P Dearle, G Tempest (J Seaton 64), D Adegbola, M Sylla-Diallo (A Howes 46), M Jebbison, N Davie, N Hylton. Unused subs: L Bateman, A Hardwick
Goals: Mohammad Qasim 14, Jack Wilson 45
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: David Adegbola
Att: 341
