NPL First Division East
January 14, 2023
Carlton Town hit the woodwork three times as they fell to defeat at Stocksbridge Park Steels.
The Millers will consider themselves most unlucky to have come away from Bracken Moor with nothing, but a lack of goals coupled with an inability to keep clean sheets means they find themselves in serious relegation trouble.
The supporters who travelled to South Yorkshire could have no complaints about the effort put in by the players nor the general level of performance, but it won’t have escaped their attention that although this was a much better display than in the previous game against Grimsby Borough, the outcome was exactly the same. Indeed, Stocksbridge scored their two goals at almost the same time that Grimsby did. There is plenty to think about ahead of the final 17 games of the season.
Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks made three changes to the side which had lost to Grimsby. Johnathan White was recalled to the club and went straight into the side at right back, Lewis Durow started at left back and Alex Howes returned to the side in midfield. Lawrence Gorman and Kyle Dixon dropped to the bench with Nat Watson starting his four game ban for the sending off at Long Eaton.
In blustery conditions neither side created anything of note in the opening 25 minutes. Steels had more possession but Carlton defended resolutely. White and Durow looked comfortable at full back and Dean Freeman and Dan Brown were solid in the middle.
Niall Hylton started on the right of midfield with Howes on the left and as the half wore on Carlton came into the ascendancy and started to pin their opponents back in their own half. Hylton switched sides and one run drew a foul from Bailey Tye-Baker which led to a free kick on the left hand side of the penalty area. Kyle Tomlin, playing an advanced role alongside Brad Wells, stepped up and beat goalkeeper Ben Townsend with a super strike, only to see the ball cannon off the crossbar.
Shortly afterwards Wells had a free header from a Tomlin corner but he put his effort just wide of target.
While had to be alert to cut out an Ify Ofoebu run as Steels counter-attacked before Townsend save comfortably from another Tomlin free kick.
Just before half time Tomlin, who had an excellent game, ran onto a Durow pass, cut inside Tye-Baker and flashed a shot at goal which saw Townsend save well.
The Millers started the second half on the front foot and Howes drew a decent save from Townsend before Carlton hit the bar again. This time it was Wells, who met a Howes corner with a powerful header only to see Townsend tip it onto the bar. The ball dropped onto the goalline but there was no Carlton player in touching distance and Steels cleared.
Tomlin then saw a free kick blocked and Howes hit the follow up over the top.
The home side took the lead against the run of play on 63 minutes. A break down the left saw a cross only half cleared. The ball dropped to Thomas Poole and he volleyed into the corner of the net.
The goal clearly boosted Stocksbridge and they had a spell of pressure. Poole hit a lovely cross across the face of goal and then drew an excellent save from Mikey Emery with Luke Rawson firing the rebound over the bar.
The Millers brought on Tyler Blake, back from AFC Mansfield, for the final quarter hour and moments later they really should have equalised. Howes hit a free kick into the wall but the loose ball fell to Tomlin. He and Jared Holmes exchanged a lovely couple of passes before Tomlin crossed to Freeman, unmarked just 12 yards from goal. He lifted his first-time shot over the bar to the despair of the travelling faithful behind the goal.
Ryan Tait came on for Kyle Sargent as a last throw of the dice and shortly afterwards Emery made another fine save to keep the Millers in the game.
With six minutes remaining Wells ran onto a long ball down the left. His first touch had him ahead of the chasing Steels defender but with the option of either shooting or passing to Blake in the middle he elected to take a second touch and miscontrolled with the ball running out of play.
Three minutes later it was game over as Steels scored a second. Emery saved well from Lewis Macaskill but the ball was recycled to Kurtis Turner and he fired home.
Still Carlton pushed forward and deep into stoppage time Holmes beat Townsend with a fierce drive, only to see the ball crash against the crossbar for a third time.
The dejected players came across to acknowledge the travelling support at the end. There was certainly no disgrace in the way they played, but they will know that results have to improve.
Carlton Town: M Emery, J White, L Durow, D Brown, D Freeman, J Holmes, A Howes (T Blake 74), K Sargent (R Tait 81), B Wells, K Tomlin, N Hylton. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, K Dixon, L Gorman
Goals: Thomas Poole 63, Kutris Turner 87
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Niall Hylton
Att: 134
