This much needed win against Market Drayton Town was Carlton’s first in the league for two months.
The victory helped ease pressure on the Millers who had slipped to second from bottom in the table, albeit with multiple games in hand on most of the teams around them.
It came courtesy of a fine performance in which they were the better side throughout apart from a 20 minute spell in the second half.
Manager Wayne Scott made just the one change from the side which beat Radford in the Notts Senior Cup in midweek, with Kaylum Mitchell coming in for Daniel Gordon.
Carlton’s record against Drayton is very good, with league doubles in each of the last two seasons and a 3-0 win at Stoke Lane earlier this campaign.
The Millers were ahead on seven minutes and Mamoke Akaunu was the creator. He won the ball from James Tindall-Bennett on the right, held him off and crossed to Mitchell. His shot was parried by Deczki and Jordan Wilson was on hand to tap home from close range.
The Gingerbread men then attacked themselves and when captain Daniel Beddows caught Steggles with a late challenge he too was shown a rather harsh yellow card.
Beddows then fed Thomas Lowe who went on a fine run before drawing a decent save from Steggles.
The match was getting a little feisty at this stage and when Wilson flicked the ball over the Drayton defence Darol Lucas and Deczki were in a race to the loose ball. The goalkeeper got there first but his attempted clearance crashed into Lucas and flew back towards the Drayton goal. The keeper was relieved to see the ball go just wide of the post.
Steggles held a shot from Jud Ellis at the second attempt as Carlton held onto their lead into the break.
The Millers poured forward in the early stages of the second half. Mitchell played the ball to Wilson on the right and his angled drive flew just wide of the post.
Lucas then advanced down the right and when his cross was only partially cleared Mitchell shot at goal with Deczki saving.
Carlton doubled their lead on the hour. Some lovely passing football on the edge of the box saw the ball end up with Ben Hutchinson. He beat two men as he ran into the area and hit a powerful shot which was palmed away by Deczki. Akaunu reacted quickest to steer the loose ball into the corner of the net to the delight of the travelling Millers support.
Drayton reduced the arrears within three minutes. Daniel Fletcher slipped crossing the ball in a Carlton attack and Draytom moved forward quickly to exploit the space left by the left back. Steggles did well to save Eliss’s shot but Craig Ryan made no mistake with the rebound.
The home side were galvanised by the goal and put the Carlton defence under some pressure for the next 15 minutes but the Millers held firm and weathered the storm.
Danny Elliott then saw a shot saved after some good work by Wilson and Hutchinson before the Millers wrapped up the win with eight minutes remaining. Hutchinson laid the ball to Akaunu on the left. He pushed past Connor Rosso and hit a fierce shot from the edge of the box which took a deflection off Simon Gregory and wrong-footed Deczki.
A major scramble in the Millers goalmouth three minutes from time led to Riece Bertram being injured and he played out the final minutes of the game wearing a sling on his left arm.
Carlton Town: Steggles, Lucas, Fletcher, Schoenecker, Bertram, Walker, Akaunu, Elliott (Davie 90), Wilson, Hutchinson (Hooton 85), Mitchell. Unused substitutes: Mellors-Blair, Carlisle, Gordon
Goals: Wilson 7, Akaunu 60, 82; Craig Ryan 63
Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM: Mamoke Akaunu
Attendance: 97
